Nothing fair about use tax

The Chamber of Commerce, county and city officials say we must enact a use tax to "level the playing field" because of some fabricated inequity crisis. Why does leveling the playing field always cost the middle class and small businesses more money, while growing governmental budgets? "Leveling the playing field" is an excuse for raising taxes while pretending that it will make things fairer. The taxpayers are always the ones who lose as governments grow out of control.

As a small-business owner, I currently pay 4.225 percent use tax. With the proposed use tax increase of 1 percent county and 2.75 percent city, my use tax bill increases by 88 percent. Couple that increase with the added administrative burden to my small staff and it is a significant cost to my business.

Has anyone noticed how many exemptions there are from the use tax? Visit Missouri Department of Revenue website (dor.mo.gov/business/sales/exemption-list.php), and you will find page after page of special interest groups that are exempt from the use tax. Ordinary citizens do not have lobbyists looking out for their special interests. Where is the fairness in that?

If our local governments think there will be a shortfall, certainly there are other ways available besides new taxes on the backs of the middle class and small businesses. How about reduce spending? That is what ordinary citizens do when money is short.

Send a clear message to elected officials of "no more taxes" by voting against the use tax on the April 8 ballot.

LINDA REUTZEL, Cape Girardeau