Complaining about taxes has become something of a national pastime, and Payson is no exception. But before we work ourselves into a frenzy, it’s worth looking at the facts: by global standards, Americans are actually lightly taxed.
According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, total tax revenue in the United States amounts to about 26–27% of GDP. Compare that to countries often held up as models of quality of life—France (around 45%), Germany (about 38–40%), and Sweden (over 40%). Even middle-tier European nations routinely collect far more in taxes than we do.
And what do those higher taxes buy? On average, Europeans live longer, enjoy universal health care, face dramatically lower rates of gun violence, and report higher levels of life satisfaction. The United States, despite its wealth, ranks behind many of these countries in life expectancy, infant mortality, and overall happiness.
We like to think we’re getting a bargain—but in many ways, we’re getting what we pay for. Lower taxes may feel good in the short term, but they come with trade-offs: underfunded schools, uneven health care access, and social systems that leave too many people behind.
The truth is simple: societies that invest more in themselves tend to produce better outcomes for their citizens. If we want world-class results, we may have to accept that they come with a price tag.
You get what you pay for.
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