They pay taxes, too

I would like to remind Meryl Hatton, who listed a number of groups in her letter and stated that nobody is happy with Gov. Tom Corbett's budget except taxpayers ("Nobody Except ...," Feb. 28), that union members are taxpayers. Democrats are taxpayers. Mass transit workers are taxpayers. College presidents are taxpayers. "Environmentalists" are taxpayers. And, public school teachers are taxpayers.

When we vote for someone who runs on a platform that advocates lower taxes, we have to realize that services and programs will be cut or banished. Whose lives are we willing (or sometimes seemingly eager) to impact by those losses? Union members advocate standards of pay and working conditions, while belonging to the Democratic Party is a political choice. Mass transit workers make it possible for the handicapped and for many workers to move from point A to point B, while allowing many individuals to leave their vehicles at home, eliminating more pollution from our environment.

College presidents achieved their status via a route of educational excellence and experience, and environmentalists are looking to save the world for our future generations. Public school teachers have been blamed for every educational ill imaginable. However, they persist in their attempts to nurture, educate, mentor and aid students in reaching their full potential.

So ... what really is your point?

BOBBI SULLIVAN
Oakmont