SMALL PRICE FOR GIANT STEP IN RIGHT DIRECTION
Submitted to Shelton Blog by Tom Davis Mason County Progressive
On Tues., Nov. 1 at 9:30 AM, Mason County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on whether to enact a 1/10 of 1% tax increase for sales and services, the proceeds of which will be used to fund mental health, substance abuse and therapeutic court issues.
Few people will argue against the need for alternatives to the incarceration of people with mental health issues, though some will object to any new tax for any reason, no matter how worthy the cause.
Having spent the past three months serving on the committee that is recommending alternatives to “revolving door” incarceration of those struggling with mental health issues, I am confident that a new approach to an old problem will reap great rewards for our community.
It is well documented that every $1 invested in prevention saves our community $18 in services that are not working. Additionally, it does our business community no good to have the same people loitering and soliciting near their place of business, driving away potential customers.
It is important to keep the scale of the proposed increase in perspective: a hundred dollar purchase will add only an additional dime to the tab; if you spend $20,000 on purchases in Mason County in a year, you will pay an additional $20 in sales tax. If you shop in Thurston, Lewis, Jefferson or any of the 17 counties that have already adopted the tax, you are contributing to the success of their mental health services, not ours.
Please attend the public hearing on Nov. 1, and tell our County Commissioners you want local money to fund local programs that benefit local families and businesses.
When it comes to “revolving door” incarceration, we know what does not work; now let’s do something that will. A 1/10 of 1% increase is a small price to pay for a giant step in the right direction.
Hope to see you on Nov. 1.
Photo: cumc.columbia.edu
SHELTON BLOG NOTE:
Link to Mental Health & Substance Abuse Advisory Committee Report:
http://www.co.mason.wa.us/ac/mental_health/docs/final_report.pdf
MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS'
PUBLIC HEARING
at
Commissioners' Chambers
411 N. 5th St.
Mason County Building #1
on
November 1st
at
9:30 AM
Thank You for your efforts to improve our community Tom. 1/10th of 1% is a very small amount (one tenth of a penny per dollar spent) to help improve the lives of those suffering in our community as well as those who may be affected in other ways. The measure of a civilized society is best measured by how they care for the disadvantaged and sick. The need is great and the amount so small, yet together we can all make a difference.
ReplyDeleteI believe that taxes are the price we pay for living in a civilized society. Or, to put it another way, the "dues" we pay for being members of an exclusive country club that provides airports, decent roads, firemen, policeman, and services for those members of our society who have the least.
ReplyDeleteThose who propose paying no taxes have yet to come out and say they no longer want these services or benefits, apparently they cannot or do not make the connection between paying taxes and the benefits we all receive. What the "no tax" crowd want is to have their cake and eat it too, have the services provided by taxes without having to pay the taxes.
Times are not getting better in our country for most people (except the hedge fund operators and those who already possess more than enough).
The number of those with the least increases daily, and the homeless now include whole families.
That there is a corresponding increase in substance abuse and poor mental health is hardly inexplicable in these circumstances.
To incarcerate the mentally ill or the drug addicted is to put additional pressure on our already over-extended city, county and state budgets.
Putting this tax into perspective, $20 in a year where we spend $20,000 in our community, makes it seems quite modest.
I agree with Mr. Davis, this is a small price to pay for a giant step in the right direction.
There is a story I heard about a Pastor who did not shave for several days, put on ragged dirty clothing, & lay down in a heap near the steps of his church before Sunday service.
ReplyDeleteHis parishioners all filed past him silently, without even a word of acknowledgment, let alone offering assistance of any kind (after all, they were all "busy" going to church).
After everyone had entered the church, the Pastor got up & entered the church himself, & much to everyone's shock, walked to the front & took his place at the pulpit to deliver his sermon from the Gospel of Matthew:
"The Lord said, for I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; I was a stranger and you did not invite me in; I needed clothes and you did not clothe me; I was sick and you did not look after me...." (I will leave out the part about eternal damnation.)
Welcome to the USA!
This infinitesimal tax increase for each of us in Mason County can actually make a significant difference for ALL of us in so many different ways!
I know there are a lot of people in our county who do so much good on a continuing basis, though few hold elected positions of any significance. We have, in 2012 the rare opportunity to change that; two, possibly three of our County Commissioners say they will not be seeking another turn (at least that is what they say today). It is true that power corrupts, and those proposals once found so appealing to reasoned sensibilities do not always survive the transfer to a political position. Along those lines, it will be interesting to see how our newest commissioner grapples with precisely that transition.
ReplyDeleteIt will indeed be interesting to see....
ReplyDelete