Grumpy Taxpayer$ miss lessons of pandemic

Re: “How will councils deal with the cash crunch?” comment, June 5.

A “grumpy taxpayer” is once again calling for lower taxes, this time in the face of economic issues brought about by COVID-19. “Increasing taxes is not an option,” he claims.

And, on the face of it, who might object? Yet, on second thought, lower taxes mostly benefit those at the top of the income pile.

While many at the top have been doing well, Canadians lower down have experienced stagnant or only slowly increasing incomes. What Canadians want, or at least some Canadians, is not necessarily lower taxes but fairer taxes. That is, taxes adjusted more closely than at present to the ability to pay.

The Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria have apparently not absorbed the lessons of COVID-19.

Major issues arose, and unnecessary illnesses and deaths occurred because we had inadequate taxes before the pandemic. In many institutions, services had been cut to the bone in the name of efficiency. For example, COVID-19 revealed glaring deficiencies in care of the elderly. I believe many Canadians want to, and are willing to, care for one another, even if through taxation — but fair taxation.

The cry for lower taxes for all serves some political interests more than others. Taxpayers groups often represent the conservative side of Canadian politics, one where everything comes down to dollars spent.

Isn’t it true though, as someone once claimed, that taxes are the stipend we pay to live in a civilized society?

David Coburn Victoria