On March 29, The Herald published a letter to the editor, “Paid family leave benefits families and companies,” admonishing Americans regarding how we don’t take care of our children, The writer touted the Scandinavian countries as the place that takes the best care of their children.
When I read or hear people bringing up how Scandinavian countries are best at taking care of their people, I wonder when or if they will also suggest we tax like they do. None of the benefits the Scandinavian countries provide can happen unless their people are taxed at 40 percent to 60 percent. That means American middle class families making $60,000 to $70,000 a year would have to cough up an additional $12,000 to $18,000 in various federal and state taxes. Who can afford that? Who wants to pay the government those additional funds and hope they get the same value back? My guess is even Herald columnist John Burbank wouldn’t propose taxes this high and he is the master at proposed high-priced social programs.
Now for all the people that believe in the Scandinavian way, we are not holding you back. You can copy their practices either individually or collectively. You can either bank or pool your funds with other like-minded individuals and start putting away $12,000 of additional funds into a rainy day fund. That’s what most of us are doing already. Please have the courtesy, the next time you propose we follow the Scandinavian social programs, to have the courage to propose the additional real taxes it would take to fund them.
Gary Morgan
Brier
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