Letter to the editor: Books beats bombs

Talk about it

With another tax day gone, I reflect once more on how I feel about paying my taxes.

For the 38 percent of my tax dollar that goes to human resources such as health and human services, housing and urban development, education and mental health, I feel pretty good.

For the 8 percent that goes to general government (Justice Department, State Department, NASA and such), that’s OK too.

For the 6 percent of my taxes going to physical resources (agriculture, Interior, and transportation departments), well, I think those are important. Food security is important to everyone.

For the 18 percent of my tax dollars going for past military expenses and the 30 percent to current military spending, including war in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, I do not feel good.

Our military defense has become a military offense. The United States outspends the combined military budgets of every ally and enemy combined. Leaving aside the human cost of this, financially this has a direct impact on why we are facing a vote in the school district to fund the schools.

As the federal government continues to increase military funding, less money is available for the other services funded such as education, health needs including mental health, funding for the court system, and money to the state. The states squeeze the counties, townships, and school districts and then we all end up feeling pinched.

So the Lake Superior School District levy is not in isolation from the large military budget. I remember a saying during the Vietnam War. “It will be a great day when the schools have all the money they need and the military has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber.”

I urge you to vote for the school levy and urge your government to vote against more and more military spending.

From Shary Zoff, Two Harbors

Tags: two harbors, opinion, letters to the editor, levy