A senior who doesn’t mind school taxes

A senior who doesn’t mind school taxes

I am writing in response to comments made by Harold Knudson in the Daily Herald Nov. 23 Opinion Page.

I disagreed with Mr. Knudson when he stated “It is particularly unfair that seniors paid for their children’s public school and college education and continue to pay school taxes for decades beyond what is necessary.”

I, too, am a senior living on a fixed income. I cannot help but reflect on when my four children were in school, and that, while I was paying taxes to the schools, so were many seniors at that time, whose children had long since finished their education. They were contributing to my children’s education long after it was necessary and thank God for that. If the whole burden had been placed on only those with school age children, we couldn’t have survived. Same goes for the present.

Now, I accept that it is my turn to help pay to educate children of younger families. Oh sure, we would all love to pay less in taxes, but I don’t think Mr. Knudson’s suggestion is a fair or realistic one. I didn’t think so when I was young, and I don’t think so now.

If a senior citizen has limited income they are allowed senior tax exemptions and freezes, which help them and surely they deserve. If they have incomes above the income limit for freezes and exemptions, then what’s the problem?

I am sure there are cuts that can be made elsewhere that could lower the tax burden on all citizens, I hope and pray a good solution can and will be implemented in the near future.

Marie Zavoli

Glendale Heights