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It’s hard to believe. Almost 26 years ago, a neurological surgeon removed a large acoustic tumor from my brain. After that operation, I couldn’t walk without assistance, and I couldn’t sign my name on a check.
I learned from that operating that things can heal and change with time. With that in mind, I would like to see the following happen with time although change is slow to come, and I probably won’t see them come to fruition.
The first change that I hope will happen in Pennsylvania is that, with administrative consolidation, the number of public school districts will be reduced to a bare minimum. This has the potential to lower costs for taxpayers and, at the same time, improve access to a better quality of education for all students.
The need to establish county-wide paid fire and police protection in order to offer better service to all residents and, for a reasonable cost, to all taxpayers is another change that I hope will happen.
The need for tuition-free education at community colleges, trade schools and public universities is another change that should happen with time. It would be an investment, not an expense.
Tax reform is desperately needed to eliminate unfair taxation to low-income and working-class taxpayers. It’s an insult to have them to have to pay an earned-income tax. What’s so sacred about the investment income of the wealthy that is no taxed? It takes a lot of gall to ask for vouchers to send their children to private schools at public expense.
It is my hope that Pennsylvania will repeal all of its unfair taxes, including taxes on alcohol, gas and tobacco, and establish a graduated-income tax, based on the ability to pay, for individuals and corporations. It wastes money to collect all of these taxes at all levels of government and school districts.
The wealthy have been making a mockery of fair taxation for too long! It’s time for a fresh start with taxation based on the ability to pay. Change is slow, but it should happen.
David L. Faust
Selinsgrove