Letter: Reader shares thoughts on tax reform

The Iowa Legislature gathers for a lawmaking session this week.

I hope that we can tie into the 'tax reform” discussions, a better understanding of the tasks that government should manage around our common needs and responsibilities. And those that they should not.

For our jobs based economy, public health management matters. A healthy population works more efficiently. We can do better than our 'for-profit” system. We can pool financial resources and get better results for everyone, at lower overall cost, by implementing a single-payer system, where all have access to high quality care options. This will make all aspects of our standard of living better. We can do this, as a democratic republic, by choosing elected officials who value community. Individual 'personal responsibility” as a sole operating mantra is the opposite of community. There must be a balance of responsibilities. Each individual should do their utmost and the community has an equal responsibility to help the less able, and the obligation to provide proper education and tools for all. A 3-legged stool of true fiscal responsibility. Any talk of balanced budgets, without first recognizing the legitimate tasks of government, and the priority of funding these is counterproductive.

This will not make us 'socialists” anymore than funding roads and emergency services does. It makes us better communities, better managers of our common needs and responsibilities.

We are not grounded on a particular economic model. We should use the best of all models to uphold promoting the general welfare.

Laura Twing

Tipton