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John M. Berger of Lakewood writes:

With regard to the Rocky Mountain News article in the August 1st edition, all I can say is here we go again! Let’s find a way to take money from some to pay others; this time it’s for “near"-universal health care. There appears to be a conglomeration of, somewhat bizarre, schemes designed to raise taxes imposed on income, consumption of: cigarettes, liquor, beer and” food with little nutritional value"; also fines imposed on those who “can’t show that they have insurance” (I have no idea what the latter means). One thing you can bet on, however, will be that those who pay the most will receive the least.
And if this comes to referendum it will be couched in a manner that will imply that a certain minority will fund the majority, to assure passage. Don’t forget: “robbing Peter to pay Paul will never get an objection from Paul".
The plans outlined in the article seemed to me to be unstable and unsustainable if you consider expected, declines in consumption of taxed (sinful) products and loss of employment creating other tax issues. But once such a program takes effect there will be no turning back and when the tax base changes, some of those who thought that they were getting something for nothing may be in for a surprise!
If we have to implement this why not do it in a more equitable, sensible and sustainable manner? Every one uses water in some form. While water usage will continue to increase so should efforts to conserve it. To this end I propose that a tax leveled on residential, commercial and, perhaps on new taps, would accomplish some real positive gains in conservation and efficient usage while spreading the funding burden in a stable and sustainable direction.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

When I pay my health insurance premiums am I also not paying a type of tax? Healthcare has to be funded somehow or people will die in misery. Not a pretty option. We have to come up sustainable plans and John Berger's idea is a good start.

WHAT! You want to tax people for takeing a shower? We'll all end up smelling like the French! For enjoying a glass of ice water after cuting the grass? That grass is going to get kind of tall. That is untill it all dies for lack of water. Gota hold down those taxes ya know. Oh and that nice glass of water you enjoy in a reaturant. " Excuse me Mam, may we get some water? No sir this resturant no longer serves water." Oh what the heck lets tax the air we breath as well. I'm sure we can figure out how much air each person uses every 24 hours.
Quake!!!

Stable and sustainable? What about fair, is that anywhere in your equation, I think not. But, I also think perhaps you were being just a bit sarcastic when you suggested increased taxes on water, at least I hope you were. Don't you think the ever inceasing tax burden we bare is getting out of hand just a bit, ( that's sarcasm by understatement). Hell, what I really mean is toss the bastards out on their ear and elected, oh I don't know, how about candidates who have some sort of clue about how to manage money. Ah, I know, stay at home Moms with at least two young kids who by necessity have learned to make do with what they have. No that will never work, it would involve Federally subsidized baby sitting. However, the idea of living within a budget is actually a concept worthy of study. No, that won't work either, legislative committee feasiblity subcommittees reports on implementing probabilities etal, etc, so forth and so on, ad nauseam.

How about we just mandate that the State and United State's Congresses live within a budget that is based on what the taxpayers can afford to pay and, that they stay the hell out of our lives and stop regulating our freedoms to the point of absurdity.

I agree with you Allen Campbell. We are being taxed to the limit.
I am a stay at home Mom. My husband and I waited to have children when we had all our finances in order and were sure we could live within a budget that could be covered by what he makes.We do have insurance and that is deducted from his check.
We chose to have children when we could afford it. We chose for me to stay home and raise them.
Everytime some politician gets a feel good idea,they want another tax,That continues to lower our standard of living.That's not fair to ask the families to keep paying more and more taxes for feel good programs and other things they can come up with.

Here is the problem with taxes.This is just a rough estimate.This is for a Universal Healthcare System.

For every $1 of tax,let's say ..20 cents goes to a blue ribbon panel( what ever that means) to study how the money should be spent,.15 cents for a a staff to collect the money , .10 cents for an auditor, .45 cents for an office to handle benefits and paperwork, that leaves , .05 cents for healthcare.

Then they start all over again demanding more taxes because our health care is underfunded.

I meant .10 cents for healthcare. oops.

My amen will come when the%$#@**& legislators get the point that they work for us, not to perpetuate their inept and usless selves. For now though, I will give you two hips and a hurray.

Taxes and health care make for a bad cocktail and a big headache. The only thing that will ever work is individual responsibility and accountability where everyone shops the healthcare system while looking out for their own best interest. And this starts with spending your own money. Contrary to what Uncle tells you, most Americans are not TOO STUPID to do this. Studies have already shown that such activity can produce a quick 30% cost/price reduction.

Medicare is busted, this entitlement can't go on forever. Our SS system is Ft. Knox compared to Medicare. The only thing that scares me more is the thought that I might be forced ot rely on the the same folks who run the post office for my healthcare. I'm sick, already.

AMEN to Hank
Taxes and healthcare linked will only lead to healthcare being doled out to get votes and for other political purposes and to line politians pockets whatever party. It will not be fair and universal as many hope it will be in utopian never-never land. Sorry, folks but get real.

AF

Healthcare covers more than individual clinical care.

Hank, how do you envisage disease prevention, outbreak monitoring and response, and other preventive measures working if we just attend to the individual and clinical care?

For example, how would you see a project like eradication of smallpox being handled in the future?
Who would pay, who would do it, who would monitor – or would nobody do that?

I recently read in an artical that to pay for health care the Dems plan on a tax hike of 4% on everyone. That will wip out the last 2 raises I got at work. And I work for the U.S. Government. My wife and I have custody of her nieces 3 boys 12, 11 and 9. I baught a house to put them in and if my taxes go up 4 % that will just about cook it for me in being able to make my house payments of 1056.00 a month. Oh but the boys will have health insurance, but we'll all have to live in my car or something.

Well, higaba, what if you were to lose your job? You'd be completely out of health care, let alone money to pay for your house payments.

Or, what if increasing costs force your employer to make you cover more of your healthcare?

I'm sorry to say this, but if your budget is so lean that a 4% cut into your income would wipe you out of house and home, there is something problematic with how you've worked out your budget - something that has nothing to do with government taxation.

No healthcare for anyone who does not have insurance until they seal the border,deport all illegals and their offspring and sterilize all latino's from age 15 and up. Then I might consider helping out the people who deserve it.

Some of you don't get it. We're all paying for everyones healthcare. Through premiums, lower wages, savings or taxes, you're paying for yours and everyone else's healthcare. You can't escape it. deny it or make it go away, no matter what your personal philosophy is. The thing is, do you think it's okay for an insurance company to decide what kind coverage you should receive? If you want a Cadillac policy, you have to pay for it.

Basic healthcare is multifacetted and the older you get the more complicated it gets. The issue is should the insurance industry make record profits off the suffering and misery of others? If you think that's fine then I think you're sick. Do you want a second opinion?

I concur with that opinion ;)

I think anyone who has to pay money out of their paycheck or pocket for health insurance should be allowed to deduct the money on their tax return. Just like we get to deduct the taxes and interest on our home loans.
Maybe that would give people an incentive to get themselves insured.

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