Letter: Make tax cuts a lesser priority

Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2000 | 9:29 a.m.

So why have tax cuts? Only the rich or the targeted groups will get the most benefits.

Instead, the first priority should be to pay down the national debt which reached such gigantic heights during the Reagan/Bush deficit era. Now that we have a surplus (and hopefully the tax policy in the future will permit the surpluses to continue for years), paying off the debt will reduce the tremendous interest payments on the debt. This will benefit all taxpayers through reduced interest rates and other advantages.

Then we should adopt programs backing up Social Security, Medicare, better health, health insurance for uninsured, better education and training programs for the nonrich.

Yes, this means big government. But big government has always benefited the nonrich who are the ones needing help. Tax cuts for the rich does not. Has anyone studied the rich-poor gap? It needs to be narrowed.

ORVILLE GOPLEN