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Wealth inequity can be changed with tax policy

Not keeping our storm sewers in good condition would cause us expensive health problems. Not maintaining our urban forest would be expensive, too. (Take out and replace the dead tree at your curbside on your own.) and, psychologically losing our trees would have a bad effect on the quality of life that we are proud of.

However, a large segment our citizenry is struggling (and, often, not succeeding) to keep their homes and/or feed themselves adequately. They can’t afford a new tax or fee.

Let’s start with two facts: (1) At the height of the Great Depression in the mid-1930s, the taxpayers of Flathead County were financially able to tax themselves to build a fine auditorium and a major addition to the high school they were proud of. (2) Americans for Tax Fairness of Washington, D.C., reports that in 2013 taxpayers paid $6.2 billion to Walmart employees for food stamps, Medicaid, and housing assistance.

A study by the Pew Research center provides some explanation of why so many of our citizens cannot afford to pay taxes to protect our health and provide some of the amenities that give us a town to be proud of. (One reason, of course, is the taxes we pay to subsidize the Waltons.)

From 1979 to 2012 the incomes of our top 1 percent grew by 181 percent. The incomes of the rest of us grew by 2.8 percent. Let’s look at the middle 60 percent of our citizenry. According to the Census Bureau, in the 1960s they earned well over half of the national income; in 2013 their share had dropped to 45.8 percent.

Back to the Pew report, the United States is the richest country in the world and fourth in the world in wealth per statistical (not real) adult at $348,000. However, for the middle 60 percent the real wealth per adult is $31,688. Household income continues to drop. In 2000 it was $56,000; in 2013 it was $51,939. The Credit Suisse Global Wealth Data Book 2014 ranked countries according to the median accumulated wealth of individual citizens. The U.S. ranked 21st at just over $50,000 per median adult citizen. First place went to New Zealand at $220,000. The remaining 19 ranged from Belgium at $152,000 to Greece at $51,000. They included most of the so-called European socialist countries.

Between 1979 and 2013 middle middle-wage hourly wages only rose 6 per cent while low wage workers’ wages fell by 5 percent. High wage workers income increased by 41 percent. Economist Emmanuel Saez found that the top 1 percent of Americans captured more than half of the total income growth from 1993 to 2014, the last year covered by the Pew report. The top 0.1 percent — just 160,000 families — owns as much wealth as 90 percent of the country as a whole, or about 145 million families.

Many of us can no longer afford safe storm sewers because a substantial part of our income was taken from us and given to a few wealthy families who instead of paying much for taxes as we do, hire tax attorneys instead. The president seems to have a plan: cut his taxes and those of his wealthy cohorts.

Can we fight back as Americans did in the 1930s? Maybe put the top tax bracket back at 90 percent? —Robert O’Neil, Kalispell

Somers-Lakeside cares for kids

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, three Lakeside Elementary teachers gathered at school to plan for the week to come. They gathered with heavy hearts, mournful spirits but with a quiet determination. Just the day before one of their own, while traveling to school, was involved in an awful car accident and is now in the ICU.

These three teachers — a salaried teacher, an hourly para employee and a substitute — gathered though this was outside of their paid hours. They gathered despite their grief over what had happened because they knew that come Monday morning a classroom full of children were going to gather and need to learn. They gathered because though their friend lay in the hospital, they felt a responsibility, a call to ensure that the children entrusted to our local schools receive the best education that they can. They gathered because though they would not be paid for their time together that day, their call to teach was more than just job.

In Somers, Lakeside and the entire West Shore community we have a choice to make about how we are going to support teachers and children like these. Will we display the dedication and commitment it takes to ensure that the next generation of Montanan citizens receive the education they need to be contributing members of our society? Will we, those of us who live, breathe and pay taxes on the West Shore, be willing to give a little more so that our children can be who they’ve been created to be? I hope you will, and vote yes on the bond.

In the meantime, I pray and give thanks for the teacher lying in the hospital, for those that gathered on that Saturday afternoon and for all those that dedicate themselves to our children. —Andrew Wendle, Somers

Waterman for Ward 3 council

I’d like to urge fellow citizens in Ward 3 to vote for Kyle Waterman for Kalispell City Council. Kyle’s personable nature and his past experience give him unique qualifications to work as a public servant. Kalispell would be well served with Kyle working toward fair, unique and neighborly solutions for the city.

Change is coming as the city rail line is removed and downtown looks towards implementing a vision. These considerations will require innovative and entrepreneurial leadership. A Montana native, Kyle has been a resident of Kalispell for five years, yet his commitment to service organizations in the valley shows he is willing to invest in and understand this community as much as any lifelong resident of Kalispell. Additionally, Kyle brings a new perspective with fresh ideas for Kalispell, which serves as an asset for him as a candidate.

Kyle has pledged to work for a fair market for local businesses. Given his experience with service groups like Rotary, Kyle has a depth of business and service contacts to draw from to better promote the future of Kalispell. As a member of Flathead Electric’s Roundup for Safety board, Kyle already contributes to the safety infrastructure of different organizations and agencies across the valley.

Our council members appropriate money to city programs. Kyle’s work as a non-profit fundraiser illustrates he understands the value of partnerships and can work to strategically implement a limited budget. It’s important to understand the role policies play and how services interact to provide leadership for tough choices or craft creative solutions. Kyle’s “seek first to understand” mindset provides the basis for successful collaboration and cooperation needed in a demanding leadership role.

I urge the folks of Ward 3 to vote for Kyle Waterman. Support for Kyle will continue to promote the future of the city we all love. —Mark Ruby, Kalispell