To the editor:

Does anyone reading this want to be without a job?

I say it is better to keep local people on the payroll. In spite of what some powers-that-be and our governor think, it is not good for our local economies to lay people off or terminate them. We need people working to keep money in our local banks and credit unions.

The fewer people working in our community and state, the more likely our fees and taxes are to increase. More tax revenue cannot be generated with fewer Kansans on the job.

Let’s encourage our elected officials to keep people on the payroll. Even if we need to pay a little more.

Instead of further flooding the residential markets, let’s put people to work rebuilding our sidewalks, bridges, curbs and streets and create new walking paths throughout our communities that benefit the many. New walking paths and rebuilt sidewalks could do a lot toward the obesity problem we are reminded of frequently. People on the jobs also keep our local economies, local credit unions and local banks healthy as well.

Yes, I would rather my taxes be spent keeping people in Kansas on the job, rather than to afford more tax cuts for the wealthy or to big government corporate welfare.