Jerry Olive - so your solution is ...?

What I read from your letter is that you don't want to see any budget cuts, but you'd be happy if those of us who work for a living are saddled with a 30% instate tax rate to support all of your pet projects.

Even with the cuts, a 1.5% tax rate will not be enough to balance the budget. Without the cuts, going forward, we would need a 30% tax rate.

Thank you for your neighborliness. I feel so loved by you! Since we're quoting Jesus, He summarized the 10 commandments by saying we should love God with all of our hearts and love our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 12:36-40) Would you like to pay 30% state income tax on top of a federal tax rate that already ties up 1/4 of my income?

But, of course, you don't pay taxes, right? So your idea is that your neighbor ought to love you better than they love themselves. Forget paying our bills or sending our kids to college. We have to support your pet projects instead.