I said it before too: no increase in taxes (“Said it before, March 11).

I have been struggling to find steady employment since late 2007. I’ve been fortunate to find contract positions and freelance work, but it’s been a struggle. I’m paying for my own health care, a mortgage and I just recently donated my car to charity to cut back on expenses.

If our elected officials in Springfield “are visionless at best and thorough political hacks at worst,” what makes anyone think that they would spend wisely if our taxes were increased? Government cannot solve every problem. And it cannot keep bleeding the tax-paying public because they don’t know how to balance a budget and plan for a rainy day.

I have cut out all essentials from my budget. I haven’t bought anything nonessential for more than two years. That’s what fiscally responsible people do when they are low on funds. Taxing people who are already struggling and taxed enough is not the answer. Electing decent, honorable politicians to office and holding them accounting is part of the solution. Why should we put up with visionless hacks in government?

I see no logic to the current “Our Views” argument, other than the emotional one always used when funds are scarce.

I’ll say it again: no new income taxes for a corrupt and incompetent government.