Slow path to kid tax


Kelly Francis ("More kids, pay less," Forum, Feb. 10) and Paul Hart ("Pay for big families," Forum, Feb. 17) argue for eliminating the child tax credit so parents would pay their share for educating their children. I agree, but it's unlikely to happen due to the impact of an immediate, large and unplanned expense on those families.

Why not a slow, workable plan that would not penalize today's families?:

1. Announce the plan and cap the number of allowed child deductions.

2. Four years later, reduce by one the number of deductions allowed.

3. Four years later, reduce it one more. Continue doing this every four years until a family unit can claim no more than four deductions.

Every year, teachers seek higher wages from a nonexistent supply of money. They deserve the money, but it isn't there. That supply can never increase enough to make a difference without a new, fairer way to tax the users of the system.

Maxine Babalis

Salt Lake City