Hidden Taxes 0
When government employees have to step in to pay for what they need to do their jobs because their employers refuse to, that is for all practical purposes a hidden tax, one born solely by those employees:
Then, with the first day of school just around the corner, DeCotis paid a visit to Teachers Rule, an educational supply store in Rockland, where she stocked up on supplies and personalized items for the students’ first day.
In all, DeCotis spent several hundred dollars – all from her own pocket – to get ready for the first day of classes.
“Some people think I’m crazy to spend so much,’’ she said as she perused the aisles one morning. “But I’m not alone.’’
Public school teachers paying for classroom supplies is not new. But today’s stumbling economy has deepened the need, as budget-crunched schools look to trim costs and more students show up without even basic supplies.
Governments get away with this because, despite rightwing propaganda to the contrary, the great majority of teachers care deeply about doing their jobs and serving their students. So they pay this de facto tax and just keep in trying to teach.
