To the Editor:

With July 4th fireworks still ringing in our ears and election campaigns ramping up, one theme often is invoked: the importance of patriotism.

It is puzzling, then, when election campaigns spout promises to reduce taxes at all costs. What could be more patriotic than supporting your community through paying your taxes? Without support from taxes, our roads would be in shambles, our public schools would close altogether and national health care programs such as Medicare and Medicaid would go belly up. Do those who most vociferously oppose the raising of taxes understand where their tax money is spent?

That is not to argue that tax reduction is necessarily unpatriotic. If beneficial social programs continue to receive funding and taxes still can be reduced, such budgeting ought to be commended. As residents of Illinois, we know taxpayer money certainly has not been used as efficiently as possible in the past (remember Rep. Aaron Schock’s “Downton Abbey” office renovations?). Such wasteful spending must always be condemned. But patriotic citizens surely would not begrudge dollars that support our local schools, hospitals and libraries.

Patriotic citizens would do well to stop viewing taxes as something the government takes from us, and regard taxes instead as something we give back to the communities that support us. I hope voters will not allow themselves to be swayed by “lower taxes” rhetoric when the rush to cut taxes may, in fact, be harmful to the communities we live in.

Ivan Ewert

Crystal Lake