School funding

There was a recent article about the possibility of replacing property taxes with sales taxes to fund schools. A childless man said he didn't want to pay taxes to fund schools because he doesn't have children in public school. People whose children are grown often say the same thing. Of course, most of these people went to public schools themselves, and thus benefitted from taxes on those who did not have children in school. Even if we and/or our children went to private schools, one or more of our ancestors probably went to public schools, which ultimately benefitted us.

Regardless of our families immediate benefit from attendance at public schools, we all benefit from good (or at least adequate) public education, because it helps create a healthy economy and better-informed voters. The children of today are the employees and parents of tomorrow. When you are old or disabled, and dependent on others, you will need help from other people's children, even more so if you yourself are childless.