With all of this computer-age technology, experience from the past?

Question

...and all of the smart people, why do we still have governments, such as cities, that cry and complain about low funds and not enough money and raising taxes?

20 years ago, I thought that our future would gain a lot from all of this wisdom and such. We are deeper in the hole.

I think maybe they see the surface (the politicians) and don't know how to save money. Spend it all now and worry about tomorrow... ...well, tomorrow. My 9 year-old kid knows better.

An old city like mine has old plumbing and bridges. Heh, they all "go" at the same time, yet nobody sees this. I do.

My city has one of the highest wage taxes in the USA, they add an extra annual "occupation TAX". There is an entertainment tax. There are "Household burglar alarm" fees - another tax to protect your home. Soon they may want a Television tax per TV (I'm being sarcastic on this one).

All of my utility bills have extra fees and taxes.

Answer 1

Gee, sounds like you live in Pittsburgh.

Taxes keep going up in large part because the public keeps demanding more and more services and benefits "from the government", without realizing that somebody (the taxpayer) has to pay for all of that. As long as politicians keep getting elected by promising more giveaways, things will continue to get worse.

Answer 2

And yet, as Americans, we pay some of the lowest taxes in the industrialized world -- about half of what the typical European taxpayer does.

You get what you pay for.