People on both sides of the “wall” have different perspectives of what they want to pay taxes for (“Alternative Fact of the Week: The imaginary wall,” Jan. 3).
For those that do not want their taxes to pay for border security and safety, I equally dislike the fact I am being forced to shell out part of my taxes to provide educational and other benefits for aliens unlawfully present in this country and state.
But let’s look at what this shutdown is costing in “concrete” terms even a cave man or woman could understand. The one time expenditure amounts to less than 15 cents out of every $100 of the fiscal 2019 budget. To further put things in perspective as an example, the government funds NASA year after year for about 50 cents per $100. While as a retired scientist, I value scientific research but certainly cannot equate the search for space rocks in outer galaxies as being as important as prevention of unlawful migration, drug smuggling and other criminal activities that have gone on for decades.
Michael Ernest, Catonsville