I am all for tax reform that makes it easier and simpler to calculate and pay taxes. I like it a lot when rates are reduced so I can legally pay less in taxes. I don’t mind when loopholes and dodges in the tax system are closed. Think of them as potholes on the road of life. So, what is the problem with the latest tax reform reduction?

Many people say that they donate to charitable causes to “give back” for being successful in business or their life.  We assume that their success was due to luck or rich parents.  Yet if you look at their circumstances more closely, it probably was because of hard work, ethical principles and choosing an education that prepared them for success.

We give because we can.  Many causes and many people need our help.  We are privileged to be able to pick and choose which endeavors match our philosophies of life.  We choose to give locally to organizations that serve where we live.  It is not because we dislike the big national charities.  It is because we can see where the money and time is going and the good that it is doing.  A dollar given locally will probably be spent locally for goods or services, which means that it is going to benefit the local economy as well as benefit the charity.

We support organizations which cater to our young people.  The better the start a child can get through exposure to ideas, education and cooperation the better chances they have to make a good life for themselves. 

We support organizations which cater to adults who find themselves on the fringes of society.  If we can provide an environment for mental and physical wellness to happen, then education and skills have a chance to be shared as well.  To learn more about SAVE’s business education courses for organizations like the Lighthouse Mission, below are some short videos about the need for this program:

SAVE Interview with Hans Erchinger-Davis

This is our interview with Hans Erchinger-Davis, the Director of the Lighthouse Mission regarding the importance of SAVE’s Economic Education program.

 SAVE Interview with Bridget Reeves

This is our interview with Bridget Reeves, the Program Director of the Lighthouse Mission, regarding the importance of SAVE’s Economic Education program.

 SAVE Interview with Jennifer Sefzik

This is our interview with Jennifer Sefzik, a Whatcom County community leader, regarding the importance of SAVE’s Economic Education program.

 Finally, we support local food drives simply because no one in our community should go hungry.

We don’t give for recognition. Sometimes we do not want the recognition because we fear our mailboxes will explode with more requests, but mainly it is because we understand that charitable help comes from people working together, not just a sole provider.  We know that if the cause is important and matches our interests, then we will find them and combine our efforts with others in our community to help.

We each have our own needs, interests and life philosophies.  We are grateful to be in the position to have the ability to share some of our wealth (time or treasure) to support local organizations. We understand that more than anything the ability to give back (no matter the size) is the true measure of success in being a member of a community.

Sometimes you must look around to see who is fulfilling your community’s needs. 

Sometimes you just need to open your eyes and they are right in front of you.

Wishing you all the feeling of success!

~Dave Courtney, SAVE Board Member, retired

Seattle’s Head Tax made national news before approval, as approved, after approval, and after repeal of the new tax on businesses who gross over twenty-million dollars. The Seattle City Council cited a McKinsey & Company report, The Economics of Homelessness in Seattle and King County, to justify their approval of the new tax on jobs even though it was soon revealed that this report was flawed and the Council had not actually read the report. The report cited aggressive growth in Seattle as the main cause to the growing homelessness, yet the reports focus was on the increase in money spent by Seattle to alleviate homelessness vs. the growth of the number of homeless.