Crockett speech had good thoughts about our taxes

James Bayne
Published: March 31, 2008

I read with interest an article in the Washington Post (Metro section, March 29) regarding a proposal put forth by the chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

If I am to believe the report, then Gerald E. Connolly is proposing to take the tax dollars paid by residents of Fairfax County to purchase properties that are in foreclosure and then turn around and sell them at below market price to "working" families.

I find such a proposal to be absolutely ludicrous.
The use of tax dollars for such a purpose (even though ostensibly only from Fairfax County residents) would ripple through the entire tax structure of the state. (I'm sure the county would come to the state for additional funds for schools, roads and what have you, as they would now have used funds which could have been used for the common good.)
Taxes to be used for the common good was, I believe, the original intent of taxation in the first place.

Now take it another step and the commonwealth will need more money from the federal government to offset the spending of state funds to support the spending of county funds for a purpose not intended in the first place.

I fail to see why my tax dollars should be spent in this manner - and I also have problems with many other programs using my tax dollars.

Our elected officials at all levels should be required to read the presentation that Col. David Crockett made to the United States Congress while he served as a member of the House of Representatives. That presentation was titled "Not Yours to Give." (Google keyword: Crockett speech)
John Galt, where are you- Come lead us from this wilderness.

Editor's note: John Galt is one of the main characters in Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged." The phrase "Who is John Galt-" is used repeatedly throughout the story. Today it has become an expression of helplessness and despair at the current state of the world.