Taxes and the dread “social engineering”

I’ve recently had a discussion on the News-Miner site over the proper application of taxes.  My opinion seemed to raise some people’s ire, though I don’t think it’s that radical: taxes can be, should be, and in fact already are being used to direct social behavior.
Somebody wrote a letter to the editor condemning the proposal [...]

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How “the government” spends money better than I can

Today’s challenge: Can you think of five ways that government spends money better than you could?
There is an oft-used conservative talking point — or rhetorical flourish — that we (the “taxpayers”) know how to spend our money better than “the government”.  It is a talking point that masks selfishness and reeks of anti-civicism, and it [...]

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The “Fairbanks Citizenship Tax” (testimony before the FNSB Planning Commission)

Tonight (Tuesday, March 25), the FNSB Planning Commission will have a public hearing on the Vision Fairbanks plan for downtown’s revitalization. Below is my prepared testimony. (I’ll have to keep the pace up to deliver this in under three minutes.)
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Good Commissioners,
I realize that matters of taxation fall outside your official purview, but you [...]

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