Government is an innate function of society. Ideally, governments provide protection and support for everyone according to some reasonable formula of need and worthiness.
So... of all the things government CAN do, what are the ones worth paying for? Nobody wants laws dictating how we eat, sleep, and bathe. But here's some services I'm glad to pay taxes for, in order of urgency to me.
Military, to protect us from outside attacks & invasion.
Spies, to detect & dissuade those planning attacks & invasions.
Police, to protect us from each other's attacks & invasions.
Fire departments, coast guard, etc to rescue us from natural disasters and accidents.
Safety regulations & enforcement, to reduce accidents and harmful decisions.
Humanitarian aid & social services to the needy, so no one need stoop to crime due to hunger or illness.
Roads in good repair from my home to a good market.
Electricity cleanly generated and wired to my house.
Clean water piped to my house.
Sewage piped away, and safely disposed of.
Trash pickup & safe disposal.
Pure research, to discover things that better our lives.
... what's on your must-have list?