How many of us have listened to our GOP friends lambaste the left for supporting "Entitlement Programs"? How many of us know GOP friends who have received the assistance of one of the programs they allege to detest? Here is the "Mother of All Entitlement Programs" that a vast majority of GOP Hypocrites have benefitted from, yet fail to recognize or admit. This strictly applies to the GOP member who incessantly harps the theme of "Liberals and Socialism".
Public Education and Real/Personal Property Taxes:
What pays for public education? Taxes. Who pays the taxes? We all do. Businesses, investors, home owners, vehicle owners. Fees. Municipal and state fees on things like motor vehicle licenses and registrations, professional licenses, permits for a wide array of activities from building to holding a tag sale.
As Republicans cry foul to "big government" they enjoy the services of government, especially when it comes to educating their children. As they attack teachers and teacher salaries they fail to honestly assess their own true lack of contribution to the public education system.
I'm certainly not an economist nor a PHD in finance, but I've analyzed the difference between the cost of educating a child and what the average family pays in taxes to support public education. Here is an analysis based on estimated figures from posted records of a town of approximately 25,000 residents in New England. I should add that this town has voter registration that is 2-1 Republican.
The average cost of educating a child in this town is currently rounded off to $13,000 per school year. Over 13 years of public education grades K-12 the amount totals $169,000 per child.
The average taxpaying family in this town, owns a home and two cars. The taxes on the home (Average home cost is $375,000) total approximately $9,000 per year and the cars add another $1,000 (generous estimate). Thus the family pays approximately $10,000 per year in taxes to the community. Over 13 years of their child being in school, this family pays $130,000 in taxes.
So, having used all my fingers and toes to count, I've found the family requires $169,000 for their kids education but pay only $130,000 in taxes. The difference of $39,000 is made up by other taxpayers. But wait. While their child was in school, none of their money went to the municipalities other services. Police, fire, dept of transportation, parks and recreation, the city hall and its services or buildings and grounds maintenance. So who paid the difference for those services? Other taxpayers.
The GOP argues that it's those damned "Tax and Spend Liberals" who expect the totality of the community residents to pay for services for everyone. Is that just limited to their view of Welfare? Food Stamps? Unemployment? It appears so.
The hypocrisy grows for every GOP family that has 2, 3 or 4 children.
Using the figures above a family with 4 children would need approximately $676,000 taxpayer funded dollars for their kids public education costs. Allowing for age differences we'll give our friends 20 years of paying their taxes while the kids are in school, which would total $260,000. The 4 child family is in the hole by $416,000, and that doesn't include their missed share of municipal tax items.
In some American communities this issue is understandably what drives building moratoriums or allowing building condominiums with only 1 bedroom to limit families with children from moving in. Local government leaders have known for decades that families with children are their greatest tax cost. Especially families with 2 or more kids. This also inevitably puts the parents in a situation of being "upside down" on their taxes vs. their tax usage.
So, the next time you hear a Republican talking about "Tax and spend liberals", "Welfare" or "Food Stamps" ask him or her how many of their kids are in public schools. And then tell them "You're Welcome" since we all make up the difference for their kids education.