Labor Looks at Government Finances

Abstract

Our age is one of rapid and radical changes in technology, urban growth, and race relations. Vast social needs have been accumulating. Public apathy has kept down the government expansion and increased appropriations re quired to meet these needs. No quick and easy solutions are available to cope with our national needs. Social investments are needed in a wide range of activities, such as education, pub lic facilities and low-rent housing for the poor, which cannot bring in businesslike profits. The key to the national complex of social and economic problems is federal government policy. The government must be the employer of the last resort for the unemployed and underemployed in providing needed public services. The government must also be the landlord of last resort—to build and rehabilitate housing that poor families can afford. To meet the national social and economic chal lenge confronting us, increased funds, primarily from taxes, must be found. To avoid unnecessary taxes, continuing ef forts should be made to eliminate the types of wasteful ex penditures that develop in all large enterprises, both private and government. But essential domestic programs must be maintained and expanded. As our economy grows, tax reve nues will increase. Much of the increased revenue should go for social investment purposes. Public support is required for necessary appropriations. Such support, in turn, hinges on the development of a fair and adequate tax system. More emphasis should be placed upon the ability to pay taxes.