Stop slow budget expansion

Once again the Chamber of Commerce, county and city officials say we must enact a use tax to "level the playing field." They've also come up with the new "vehicle administration fee" to level that same playing field. Are the fields ever going to be level? Why does leveling the playing field always cost the middle class and small businesses more money, while growing governmental budgets? The taxpayers are always the losers.

This use tax is a tax on Internet purchases. Our officials tell us not to worry about that, because they're just concerned with taxing businesses. But, folks, this use tax applies to everybody, and they absolutely can tax individuals. They are creating a scenario in which every citizen could possibly be breaking the law. When they need more money down the road, look for audits of your personal credit-card statements. Look for more government employees to conduct these audits and more employees to collect these audited funds.

A citizen spoke at the Pachyderm meeting a couple of weeks ago. He had some great ideas to cut the budget. I wonder if our city manager reached out to him to help with budget problems or tell him why his suggestions would not work. I doubt it. Do our city officials want the citizens of this city to just shut up and go away? We must not abdicate our responsibility to control our local government, and I applaud anyone who tries to slow the growth of our expanding budgets.

LINDA REUTZEL, Cape Girardeau