Start serving the taxpayers

Let me see if I understand Jack Lessenberry’s position. Because Governor Jennifer Granholm and the Michigan Legislature are negligent in their duties and fail to enact spending reforms, we should accept a “modest” tax increase. Because our elected officials refuse to stand up to Big Labor and reform the unsustainable pension and health care plans for public school employees, we should give up some of our income. Because our legislators can’t agree on cost saving measures for our expensive corrections department, we should dig deep into our pockets. Because Granholm insists on “investing” in cool cities, we should cough up a little more of our hard-earned cash.

Never mind that many taxpayers in Michigan have already paid for our leaders’ incompetence through layoffs, stagnant wages, and plummeting home values. Lessenberry thinks we should agree to a tax increase to avoid “a crisis like it has never had before.” Unfortunately, a tax increase is just another short-term band-aid with negative consequences to follow. Increase the cost to do business in this state and businesses will go elsewhere. In another year or two, we’ll be faced with another unprecedented crisis.

Only one solution exists – reform our broken systems. Transform the pension system into a sustainable defined-contribution plan. Privatize costly tasks in the corrections department. Open the school system to choice and competition. Granholm and the legislature need to stand up to the special interests and start serving taxpayers instead.

[Letter to the Editor - The Metro Times. Submitted 07/25/2007.]