The services you enjoy come from the taxes you pay.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that most Washingtonians take their government for granted. It’s so easy, especially now in the middle of “the great recession,” to talk about how burdened we are by the government and how they always want more, more, more. But is this really the case? Is the government really asking us for more without giving us our money’s worth? When you stop and think about it, the state (and the city and the county) turns your taxes into services. Have you ever thought about what an average day in your life or your family’s life would look like without the services your taxes provide? 

Next time you get a notice that your property taxes are due, or your driver’s license or car tabs are about to expire, consider what you’re paying for. Having to interact with bureaucracy can be enough to frustrate even the most patient of customers but at the same time, you’re interacting with a system that has been put into place that serves every citizen in the state and in turn, there’s a tacit agreement that for the taxes/fees that you pay, the state will provide infrastructure and services that you will benefit from. This assistance may come in the form of educating your child, providing HOV lanes during rush hour, or having police available when you need them most.

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Here is a rundown of just some of the things that you get from the state for what you give:

Public Schools—Receive over 22% of the entire state’s budget! There’s so much that goes into making public education possible, everything from: feeding breakfast/lunch; bussing children to and from school; paying teachers; providing opportunities for children to learn to play music, sing, and be expressive; supporting special education; making sure our schools’ roofs don’t leak and the fields are mown so our children can participate in afterschool sports—the list goes on-and-on. Washington State is responsible for educating over 1 million children in the public school system.

Human Services—Prisons, medical and public assistance. One-in-five citizens in Washington State benefits or receives care from the state under this category.

Higher Education—Revenue collected from taxes help support our six public universities in the state as well as thirty-four community and technical colleges. Your taxes help create competitive state schools and make it possible for some 75,000 students to receive financial aid.

Government Operations—Supports all judicial, administration, and legislative functions of the state.

Natural Resources—Your taxes go to maintaining our state parks and protecting the environment within Washington State.

For a helpful resource on your state’s taxes, check out the Senate’s Citizen’s Guide to the Budget.