Anti-tax fervor seems to be gripping the country, but before we slash taxes maybe we should look around us and see what they provide.
Number one on Whidbey Island is the naval air station with its thousands of military personnel and many private contractors who depend on government spending. Their families are covered by taxpayer-funded benefits, including health insurance, and many military retirees enjoy the same, plus use of the military hospital and commissary selling at discounts.
The taxpayer-supplied military payroll supports most of the private businesses on North and Central Whidbey, thanks to those who shop locally.
Taxes also support our largest non-military employer, the Oak Harbor School District, which provides several hundred jobs along with taxpayer-supplied pay and benefits. The city of Oak Harbor is a major taxpayer-funded employer, with employees receiving good pay and benefits, thanks to taxpayers.
Coupeville is just as dependent on taxpayer support, thanks to the county offices which house the sheriff’s staff, road department, elected officials and their staffs, and the many other employees it takes to keep the county functioning in the areas of planning, health and licensing. Taxpayers even support people who won’t take responsibility for their own animals, by paying for Animal Control salaries, benefits and costs.
Coupeville’s second largest employer is probably the taxpayer-funded school district, supporting teachers, aides and maintenance personnel with paychecks and benefits. And Whidbey General Hospital couldn’t exist without taxpayer support.
South Whidbey is in a similar situation, with taxpayers supporting the school district and various government offices and road jobs. Even its largest private employer, Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, is becoming more dependent on taxpayer funding as it builds boats for the Navy and Washington State Ferries.
Many other islanders are collecting millions of dollars in government retirement checks from careers in the post office or various federal and state agencies. Many moved here for a better life in their old age, and depend on taxpayers to maintain their lifestyles. In addition, growing numbers of jobless construction workers and small business employees now find themselves dependent on taxpayers for their unemployment checks. In Island County, they hauled some $30 million last year, and recycled that taxpayer money throughout the community.
There’s nothing wrong with cutting government waste and taxes. But first, you should give some thought to how much you personally benefit from all this government spending, and how much you are willing to give up. After all, you wouldn’t want to be called a hypocrite.
