Ms. Heppner’s July 15 letter to the editor about increased funding for Island Transit, seemed to make two points: (1) The proposed tax is a sales/use tax and/or vehicle excise tax, as opposed to property tax, and (2) that last year the transit carried a lot of people.

As for the second point, I am greatly pleased that the transit system is being used and serving a useful purpose. As for the first point, it matters not one bit to me what kind of a tax it is, it is still a tax! Where have we heard this word before? Local government, county government, state government, federal government? Surely not!

The purpose of government is not to provide free services to the people. That is the purpose of charities; government is not a charity. The real problem we are faced with is not whether the proposed tax (by whatever name) for the transit is legal or needed. Everything is costing more and more each day, so what else is new? The point is we are being taxed into poverty by every level of government and with no end in sight.

The economy is a long way from being decent, and who knows how long it will take to become “normal” again. In the meantime, some things will have to wait or do without.

There is a limit to what people can put up with. Our income is not unlimited! Only the federal government can print money. And when it does, like it is now, what little money we citizens have becomes even less valuable. No, the dollar bills still say $1, but it buys less and less.

Back to the transit’s money problem: I’m sorry you need money, but maybe it is time to get some of it from people who use your services. I think I used it once or twice in the last 25 years.

Anita W. Johnston

Oak Harbor