More houses means more tax dollars

In his recent op-ed piece (“Johnny can’t learn in a broom closet,” July 3), state Rep. Hans Dunshee (D-Snohomish) correctly points out that every house you see going up means more kids in school, but he fails to acknowledge those new houses mean plenty of new tax dollars. I want to point out my new neighbors and I pay sales tax, income tax, property tax, gas tax, B&O tax, payroll tax, excise tax, luxury tax, sin tax, death tax and fees for government services that were services 30 years ago. We even have to pay to walk on public land.

In the 30 years since the crumbling schools were built, the government has increased its take on every dollar in the community by about 40 percent. That goes a long way toward explaining why the voters are getting surly.

Stanwood