Editorial of August 14, 2025

How Would You Allocate Your Taxes?

Charitable organizations here in Otsego County and surrounds survive, and very often thrive, because people choose to donate time, treasure and talent—sometimes all three—in support of the things most important to them.

Monetary donors are spending their hard-earned cash essentially subsidizing the work of others. Patrons of the arts donate to the gallery, orchestra or theater group that best represents them and/or their interests. Animal lovers send checks to the nearest animal shelter or rescue, sometimes all of them, because they support the work of those organizations. Proponents of education and scholarship pledge funds annually to the institutions that, again, best represent them and/or their interests. History buffs transfer funds electronically to their favorite museums. And so on.

Some folks can afford to donate more than others. Those are your “Platinum Patrons” and your “Diamond Sponsors.” Some people can’t really afford to give, or can spare only a little, but are so invested in the mission that they donate every year regardless, because they are “Friends” and “Supporters.” And in between, often dictated by income, lie the rest of these financers of various programs, projects and plans.

Wouldn’t it be great if we, as taxpayers, could, in much the same fashion, allocate some portion of our tax dollars to the things that matter to us most? And to the things that most directly affect us?

Think about it. What if there was some sort of “Top 10” list that we could choose from, or assign percentages of our tax dollars to, come April? Government. Education. Transportation. Environment. Health. Military. Scientific research. You get the idea. Programs prioritized by us. And what if we could drill down a bit further, based on geography and/or project specifics? “Restricted” funds, if you will.