The 1099’s have been coming in and I have been working on taxes. The “former guy’s” avoidance, disdain, and possibly criminal evasion of taxes troubles me greatly. True, in order to have food, shelter, clothing, communications, and other essentials, I need to have money in my bank account. I need it there because occasionally I also would like to hire a plumber, someone to shovel my snow or cut my grass, and someone to cut my hair; I would like to travel occasionally, buy a ski pass and a few nice things. But I also want a transportation system, a national defense system, a public health system, a public school system, national and local parks, and public support of art, science and learning. There is no way could I have enough money in my bank account to pay for those things.
For those things some of my money has to be in the bank account of my Uncle Sam. Now, how much of my money should go to my account and how much to Uncle Sam’s is not a simple calculation, but everyone who can, especially those of us who live a privileged lifestyle, should contribute fairly and ungrudgingly to Uncle Sam’s account. I am going to pay my taxes with pride, as a patriot, not as a sucker.
Stephen Guggenheim
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 3/6/21