Senior Correspondent Mike Causey is on vacation. This is part of a series of guest columns written by Federal Report readers.

As a federal retiree, I’m trying to make ends meet but find it a hardship. I will never understand why retirees who are no longer parents should pay school taxes. I had one child and, as far as I’m concerned, I paid for his education all the way to high school.

When anyone purchases a house worth thousands of dollars or, for that matter, millions of dollars, it proves that that person has the ability to pay more property taxes. I grant you, millionaires most likely send their kids to private school.

The same principle should apply to parents who have two, three or more children, for it proves that they have the ability to pay more school taxes for the amount of children they have. Why should the burden rest on the shoulders of federal retirees and those collecting Social Security? Those parents should thank God that there are retirees to lessen their tax burden. But what about the tax burden to retirees?

My wife and I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield health plan. Why are we paying the same identical monthly health premiums as a family of two, three, eight or more? This is unfair.

Parents have an advantage over non-parents. Parents can claim the number of dependents on their form 1040. Parents can deduct child care, sending their children to nursery school or day care and many other deductions and exemptions that retirees are no longer qualified to claim. The younger generation never thanks retirees for helping them lower their school taxes. They take us for granted.

I don’t mind paying taxes to the state, federal, county, town and village because these entities represent me. The school system does not represent non-parents anymore, but they want your taxes. I cannot attend a teacher’s parent association meeting, I have no say in school affairs, I am completely barred. This is taxation without representation. Our veterans should also be exempted from paying school taxes unless they still have school-age children. Retirees, whether receiving a federal annuity or Social Security, should be exempt. Some counties do give some sort of exemption if your assets is below $25,000 a year. With inflation, higher medical costs, higher cost of living, that $25,000 leaves one foot into poverty.

I believe that someday this issue will be brought before the U.S. Supreme Court for resolution. No local judge will ever be in favor of non-parents because they are concerned about the next election.

NEARLY USELESS FACTOID

How many peanuts would you need to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter? If you said 548, you would be correct.

(Source: Dumb Facts)

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