Raising taxes is not the "easy way out" Rep. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, says it is ("Holiday wish: Don't change Utah by higher taxes," Opinion, Nov. 27). It takes leaders with courage and vision. The change Americans voted for is to pay-as-we-go, but to pay for those needs that all Americans have -- national defense, education and health care.

Stephenson's feel-good narrative ignores that the hardest-working workers in Utah are those he wishes to deport, and that the $8 trillion deficit from 2001-2009 came from two wars, 2003's Medicare Advantage and 2006's Medicare Part D that were supported by lock-step Utahns. Only in the past few months has there been an outcry about cutting deficit spending (not the solution in a recession) with emotional appeals about stealing from our grandchildren.

When this state had money, it spent some on education, but that was triage, to catch up. We're not there yet. We're still 50th in per-pupil spending and negligent in funding higher education, the true accelerant for a strong, diversified economy.

One-note ideologues like Stephenson are the problem, refusing to see solutions that truly benefit future generations of Utahns. Investing in our grandchildren's future takes courage -- and money.

Steven Harper

Salt Lake City