There is Only One Tax Payer

Often I have heard this statement from many of my more-conservative friends. And I agree with it. In our province, we citizens are asked to support many projects that directly benefit us. We are also asked to support many projects that don’t: people that don’t drive still have their tax-dollars go to the roads, supporting those who do; those of us fortunate enough to be able-bodied help pay for services aiding the disabled; and those of us without children in the publicly-funded education systems pay to educate other people’s children.

I have also noted how vigilant these more-conservative friends are when it comes to wanting to get value for their money: they will quickly point out any spending they feel is unwarranted. And so, I’m surprised that the announcement that the Catholic system’s ability to hand out Chromebooks to all its students has passed without nary a whisper of discontent (“Grey-bruce welcomes winter, says so long to 'snow days’.” Sun Times; December 2, 2020). So even though parents of children in the publicly-funded faith-base system pay the same taxes as those in the Public system (and, yes, it too deserves a capital) and the rest of us, they receive more services than those in the Public system — which is prepared to hand out technology on a needs’ basis, but not to everyone. And, before you bring up the municipal education levy, it is the same for both Catholic and Public supporters.

So where did the approximately $250 per child come from? Why, it came from the one-and-only tax payer: you and me.

Jake Bates,
Owen Sound