Help people afford health care, homes

Dear Santa,

Instead of making it harder to help the poor and elderly, educate our children and fix our roads, could you make our government actually help accomplish our goals?

First I’d like health-care insurance and medical expenses to be sales-tax exempt like our food is. That would be an 8.5 percent savings and really help a lot of people afford health care.

Next, I’d like public works projects tax exempt, too. We want to build things like schools, police stations, and roads for the public good, so why does it have to cost 8.5 percent more to do it? We’re taxing ourselves twice and getting little done.

And this I’d like most of all. Have our government pass a constitutional amendment to ban property taxes and levies on our homes. They can still tax second homes, investment and business properties that are sources of income. It’s just wrong to be on a fixed income or struggling to buy your first home and have your own government price you right out of it. They offer property tax deferments to those who can’t afford the taxes on their home, but they’ll accrue interest and must be paid when the home sells. If you’re on the verge of losing your home they won’t help you keep it, but will help themselves to any increased property value you may see until you are forced to sell.

Food, shelter and medical care — the government shouldn’t be making them harder to get, especially for the poor and elderly. I know it sounds selfish wanting these tax cuts. Just think of all the people on the edge in this state. This can make all the difference to them. Don’t worry about the government. With a $1.4 billion surplus, they can afford it more than we can.

Louis Kitz

Darrington