Tax Season

Homelessness is expensive. It costs significantly more than twice as much as public education! More specifically, for each beneficiary, the average annual cost of services for or associated with homelessness is about two and a third times as much as the average annual cost of public education for each beneficiary. It is very understandable that so many are concerned about such expenditures of tax revenue.

Homelessness is also relatively rare, however, and therefore substantially less expensive collectively than public education. Because less than half of a percent of the populace is homeless, services for and associated with homelessness in California had been limited to approximately six billion dollars annually. Because approximately fifteen percent of the populace attends public schools, public education in California costs more than ninety five billion dollars annually. Therefore, public education costs almost sixteen times as much as homelessness.

Nonetheless, it is very understandable that a few who are unaffiliated with anyone who is homeless sometimes complain about the major expense of services for and associated with homelessness. What those who complain typically fail to consider is that, not only is the expense of public education much more substantial, but that those who are unaffiliated with anyone who benefits from public education are not exempt from such expense.

We all collectively pay taxes. We all lack control of how tax revenue is allocated. Everyone pays for everything. Those who do not drive cars pay for the maintenance of roadways. Those who disapprove of particular politicians and public servants pay for their salaries. Those who lack children pay for the education of the children of others. Those who live in homes pay for those who do not. It would be too complicated, and for some, prohibitively expensive, to pay only for justified expenses. Otherwise, those who already assume the major expense of raising children would also pay significantly more for their education.

Furthermore, children who benefit from public education generally pay no taxes yet, as almost all of those who are presently homeless have done in the past. As almost all publicly educated children will pay taxes in the future, most homeless people will eventually resume paying taxes as they recover from homelessness. Some homeless people have served in the Military, for a Society that includes a few who now complain about the relatively minor cost of providing important services for them, when they need such services most.