I am interested in the attacks on the IRS expressed by the Slippery Rock mayor and our congressman. The near paranoid distrust of the government and in particular the IRS are completely unfounded. More than 90% of Americans take the standard deduction. I assume the bulk of the remaining 10% have legitimate deductions that they can document. That leaves a small percentage who do not complete their taxes honestly. It is the job of the IRS to ensure we all pay our fair share. Why would anyone be against that?

Taxes fund the following government programs: national defense, veteran benefits, transportation, ensuring a safe food supply, ensuring clean air to breathe and clean water to drink, fair labor laws, education, a safety net for our most vulnerable, including children, the poor and the elderly. IRS audits return far more to the government than they cost. They are highly cost effective.

Mayor (Jondavid) Longo attacks the proposal to create a system in which the IRS would complete your taxes. Approximately $13 billion is spent yearly on private tax preparation. This would relieve a burden on the families Mayor Longo says he is concerned about and make their lives simpler. The IRS already has your income reported by your employer and your withholding taxes. The proposal is not intrusive. It is quite ironic to complain about poor IRS service while not supporting adequate funding to the agency.

“A terrible situation … if it ever became a reality,” Mayor Longo? Nah, I don’t think so.

Dave Roberts, retired U.S. Army Col.,

Butler Township