Published by El Nuevo Herald on July 21, 2013
Since ancient times, humans have paid for the benefits allegedly receive in return for their taxes.
Recipients of tax normally have been covered by the power and represented by religious and monarchical government forces in all stages and political systems.
From the Paleolithic, barbarians offered human lives to Gods for protecting their lives. Passing by the Pharaohs, Greeks, Romans, priests and the feudal lords, until reaching the U.S. in 1764, when the colonists pay taxes to the British Crown under the Act of roan, including the rights to import sugar, wine , snuff and other products.
In the past, the taxes collected by kings, emperors and similar, allowed these lead a lavish life while the taxpayer barely surviving and used to pay with his life if he forgot to contribute.
In modern times, states often provide basic services to the people in return for their taxes. Most of the costs of education, health, roads, police and fire, among others, are covered by taxpayers. Of course, other expenses also are involved .They are huge rising bureaucratic wages, and the insurance and annuities of senior government officials, along with the mayors, commissioners, chairmen of autonomous institutes, general and sector directors, etc..
Obviously, as the years pass, the resources are more scarce while the population is growing. As stated the English Reverend Thomas Malthus in the nineteenth century, "the population doubles every 25 years, while the food required to keep them only grows in an arithmetic progression." Based on this provision, and labor displacement caused by the technological revolution, we see that real unemployment continues to rise.
This army of unemployed with zero or limited income, simply not have the ability to pay more taxes. However, the states, counties and municipalities, apparently did not find another way and continued to raise taxes in its most varied forms.... In some cases they are formally open proposals. In other cases are taxes disguised as red light cameras, hotel taxes to finance private stadiums or the "eternity" used by the same contractors when they employ "two or three" operators to complete repairs of public roads, while obstructing traffic causing a consequent loss of time and taxpayers money.
Certainly, times have changed. Now, tax collectors do not have a pharaonic life, but have exorbitant retirement and larges health insurance.
Perhaps we'll need the formation of ethical citizens teams capable of analyzing financial statements and propose impersonal solutions aimed to increasing productivity, reduce spending and rationalize wages This is something we can do as organized society. Go ahead !!!!
BENJAMIN F. DeYURRE
Economist and Journalist
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