LETTER: Economic inequality a danger to democracy

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As somebody who has actually studied multiple different schools of economics, I have to say that when applied with certainty of high progressivity, an income tax is one of the most effective tools to break the concentration of wealth in a society.

This ultimately lessens the economic disparity between those who have everything and those who do not. Forget raising the wage, this is about taxes. In the case of Port Townsend, there is absolutely no question such an economic disparity exists.

For too long we’ve had city and county leaders, as well as community activists, who talk up a big game of supporting working families, yet cannot grasp the severity of struggles that working families face each day. Economic inequality is a danger to democracy.

It creates polarization, it weakens communities and destabilizes the overall economy. It’s time for the so-called “progressive leaders” in Port Townsend to put their money where their mouths are and support the implementation of an income tax for the city of Port Townsend.

You cannot continuously talk about supporting working families when you resist enacting tax policies which seek to lessen the gap between those at the top and those at the bottom. Pass this policy now.

MICHAEL DEMANTI

Port Townsend