Slashing State Spending Hurts Those Who Need It the Most
Sen. Stephen Urquhart, R-St. George, says he doesn’t want to “find answers to the state’s problems in citizens’ wallets” (“Lawmaker lining up senators with no-tax pledge,” Tribune , Dec. 5). Of course, he’s saying that the budget shortfalls must be dealt with by slashing spending, but what spending? The programs that help those most in need, as always.
So, citizens will bear the brunt of budget shortfalls no matter what. The question is, which citizens? Well, if we don’t raise more money from those who have it, and we slash assistance to those who don’t, we shift the burden to the least fortunate among us. That hardly seems the right spirit at this time of year, let alone any other time.
It costs money to have the society we all seem to want, and there is enough money out there to make it all work. When times are tough, those who “have” need to pitch in a bit more for those who “have not.” That’s just how it should work, unless the game is only about “me.” That’s the only explanation for the selfish senator’s sentiment and those who think like him.
Kendall Robins
Sandy