Budgeting

David’s vision for budgeting, including minimal taxes, no exemptions, no subsidies, and no debts.

Budget calculations.

“If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy.”

– Thomas Jefferson

“We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.”

– Thomas Jefferson

“The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits.”

– Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus

Budgeting Responsibly

As an Orem city councilor, my duties include cooperating with my fellow councilors to finalize annual municipal budgets proposed by Orem’s city manager. In fulfilling these duties, I pledge to never vote to either hike taxes or incur debts. On this subject, here are my four guiding principles regarding fiscally-responsible budgeting:

  1. Minimal Taxes. I believe that taxes should ideally remain minimal to fund essential political functions, flat so that everyone pays their fair share, and simple by staying free from figurative “sticks” and “carrots” that manipulate behavior not raise revenue. I will never vote to raise taxes, but I will always defer to voters through referenda.
  2. No Exemptions. I believe that taxes should exclude any exemptions for favored individuals and/or groups, partly because such exemptions unfairly require everyone else to pay more. Reduced average tax rates render Orem a more desirable city both for families to reside and for businesses to operate, and increase general prosperity.
  3. No Subsidies. I believe that giving subsidies is essentially legalized plunder and that it’s my duty to prosecute robbery not to perpetrate it. I believe that receiving subsidies is likewise wrong, as we should not legally pick outsiders’ pockets to help pay our bills; plus, subsidies often come with figurative “strings” to manipulate recipients.
  4. No Debts. I believe that it’s unjust to burden future generations with present expenses, and unwise to sell ourselves into financial bondage, with rare exceptions like existential threats. As such, I will never vote to incur debts—and, if a genuine emergency may merit a loan, then I will always defer this decision to voters through referenda.

I also respect that every vote to spend is essentially a vote either to tax or to borrow. Whereas some politicians may recklessly squander your hard-earned money on coercing our city to conform to their extravagant visions, my intent is to help you to maintain your rightful liberty so that you may freely pursue your own personal American dream.

On TIF Abuses

Tax-increment financing (TIF) renders blighted areas less prohibitively-expensive for redevelopers by temporarily freezing their property-tax bills, but it also allows avaricious redevelopers and corrupt politicians to collude to unjustly enrich themselves at public expense. I oppose TIF subsidies, like other subsidies, and support lower equal tax rates for everyone.