Public employees are taxpayers, too

In May 15 "Your views" Bob Foys of Inverness has a letter about union members and tax paying. I was a private sector union member (Teamster) worked for a truck line for 28 years. My husband was a public sector union member (Post Office) for 32 years.

Foys' letter states that the source of income taxes and sales taxes that public sector union members believe they pay is provided to them by taxes collected from private sector corporations and their employees. What?

Any company that provides a service is paid for that service by the users. The Post Office pays its employees with revenues earned, not taxes from corporations. I guess you could say they pay their own wages because they pay taxes just like everyone else.

Public sector union members pay property taxes and federal taxes just like anyone else. Oh, and sales taxes too.

Do you think that anyone who files a tax return is "simply returning a portion of what they've received" what they have earned?

Union salaries are not "provided" to members. They are earned. So is he slamming the police, firemen, teachers? Would he rather not have these occupations being paid? Would he rather not have a Veterans Administration?

Every person who pays taxes is supporting the government, the schools, our police and fire protectors among other things.

Linda Kimsey

Streamwood