This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I recently took a four-day trip to Zion National Park. The great freeway that whisked me there and the beautiful trails and facilities in the park were all paid for by taxes.
Because of these attractions, private businesses such as nearby motels and restaurants are able to succeed. Government regulation of the design of highways, cars and food safety in restaurants made me and my family safer.
Someday we will benefit from Medicare, Social Security and Obamacare, which provide economic security to us all. Likewise, our military, police and fire departments keep us safe. Taxes pay for education, the foundation for our future.
We all need to be willing to pay for the benefits our society offers. Currently, at the federal level, we only collect 60 cents in taxes for each dollar the government spends. This is the reason the deficit is so large.
We are all in this together. We must all share the costs as well as the benefits we all enjoy.
Mark Rothacher
Salt Lake City