In this open letter to all levels of government, I hope to bring a little common sense to the current state and the reality of today’s challenging economic times.

This of all times is not the time to create a new tax. I refer to the City of Chilliwack being asked to consider a new municipal tax of two cents per litre of gasoline that will generate for the city tax chest an additional $3 million to $4 million per year, and like all other taxes, I’m sure this is the start of further increases to come. (Gas tax for transit improvements?, Progress, July 17.)

I appeal to the common sense (cents) of all governments – especially our municipal government – to stop creating new taxes and stop increasing the ones we have. This takes money out of our economy that is better left to create economic stimulus. We are in a major, not a minor, economic recession. The governments must do what all other tax payers, families, and businesses must do: make some hard decisions, get creative, make internal adjustments, and make the wheels turn with what you have.

I urge the city not to create and impose this new tax during a recession. Leave the 3-4 million dollars in the economic system. If you want two cents to do more economic good than to go towards (what I see as) an underused transit system, here is my common sense opinion:

Leave the two cents with the struggling university student. They will spend it to improve their education and potentially achieve a better standard of living. Or maybe they will spend it in a local coffee shop.

Leave the two cents with the struggling senior who has seen their expected interest income drop to nothing. They will probably spend the two cents on groceries, or maybe a treat at a local ice cream store.

Leave the two cents with the unemployed. They will need it to make another copy of their résumé to try to land a new job.

Leave the two cents with the mom who has to drop her child off at daycare on her way to work. She’ll know how and where to spend it better than any level of government could.

Money left in the economic wheel employs people, creates opportunities, and produces demand for products and services, which in turn, creates more employment.

In these tough economic times, we need to tell all levels of government to put a hold on taxation. Leave the money in the economic wheel; this is the money that will drive us out of this recession.

And that is my two cents worth.

Mark Tarras.