To the editor:

In The Associated Press article on the governor’s tax plan, Revenue Secretary Nick Jordan is quoted as telling “a state Senate committee that any increase in the total burden for taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of $25,000 or less would be wiped out by a larger commitment to social services in Brownback’s budget.”

I fail to understand how this makes government smaller, is more efficient or keeps the government from messing with our private lives. Rather than take money away from people so that you can “give” them more social services that they might not need if they had the money, why not just let them keep the money in the first place.

Instead of the governor’s plan, I would suggest reducing taxes on those with lower incomes. This can be accomplished by dropping the sales tax on food as they do in the state of Washington. You can then increase the sales tax on other items to make up the difference. Simplify income tax by not taxing the first $20,000 and having a flat tax rate on the amount above that. No deductions or loopholes.