It sounds ridiculous to say so, given the weather in recent weeks, but spring officially began on March 20.

That announcement is only true astronomically speaking, though. Our planet passed that point in its orbit called the Vernal Equinox last week. Based on the weather, though, I think spring came a few days after Christmas this year, and summer provided us with a sneak preview a few times in February.

I’m not much of a meteorologist, though, and my expertise on climatology is mostly what I remember from the general science class I took back in 1959, so this column isn’t about climate change. Nor is it about the thing that poet Alfred Lord Tennyson assures us the thoughts of young men turn to in the spring: Love.

I’m not so young anymore, so, while amorous thoughts do impose themselves on me from time to time, my thoughts this time of year generally turn to a different subject.

Taxes!

One reason for that is my effort to have my taxes owed in April match the estimated taxes I sent in during the year as closely as possible. I don’t want a big bill in April, but I don’t want to have the government using my money interest free for a few months and get a big refund.

The other reason is that Wyoming and all its political subdivisions are working on their budgets for next year right now. Our Legislature just spent 20 days trying to fit their expenditures into the lower revenue we received from oil, gas and coal this year.

The Legislature is done, now, and the state’s cities, counties and school districts are now facing the same difficulty of meeting the needs of their communities when revenues are down, and when those needs are vitally important, the discussion sometimes includes the possibility of raising taxes.

This year, Park County is having that discussion. The city councils in Cody, Powell and Meeteetse as well as the Park County Commissioners, citing the infrastructures of their communities and the county, are exploring the possibility of putting a 1 cent increase in the sales tax on the ballot. If passed, all the money would go to the county where it would be divided with the towns. Every four years, voters would have to re-authorize the tax, and could vote to end it if they don’t like it.

Currently, only two of Wyoming’s 23 counties do not levy the fifth cent, and Park County is one of them. It was placed on the ballot in 2012, but voters failed to approve it.

Not surprisingly, there is vocal opposition to this tax increase. Any proposal to raise taxes leads to predictions of catastrophe from anti-tax people. All the old arguments against tax increases are dredged up. Opponents insist that having to pay $10 extra on a $1,000 purchase will make it worthwhile to head for Billings, and they promise all their friends and neighbors will do just that, destroying all the businesses in Park County. Others complain that the county commissioners didn’t look hard enough for ways to cut the budget, although they can offer only vague suggestions about too many employees or raises that shouldn’t have been given to employees.

Mostly, though, the opponents just don’t like government. They don’t trust those who serve on town councils or the county commission, and they believe that having to pay taxes is the same as being robbed.

Opponents also believe everyone agrees with them, but they don’t want the county to use a poll, probably because it might show that they are wrong about that.

Well, I dug into my memory a bit this week and found I have a nearly perfect voting record when it comes to tax increases. I can remember 14 or 15 instances when I was asked to vote for something that would raise my taxes, and I’ve voted “yes” on all but one of them.

Most of these votes were for school bond issues, and my votes have helped build two high schools, and one middle school. I’ve also helped enhance a third high school, and build one swimming pool. One would think I voted that way because I was a teacher, but there’s a bigger reason. I want to live in an educated society, and I need to pay my share of the cost of that society.

I also want to live in a safe county, so I voted to build new jails in two counties, and I voted yes on a failed attempt to make improvements to South Big Horn County Hospital. My vote for the aquatic center was a yes because it provides a safe place for people to swim and learn how to be safe in the water.

Now it’s true that none of those projects went off without a hitch. There were problems during construction, and there have been ongoing problems as well. But problems arise no matter how carefully plans are made to avoid them. The benefits of the facilities those tax increases have provided outweigh the cost and aggravation of the problems.

Most importantly, the disasters predicted by opponents did not come to pass. The bonds were paid off and the sales tax increases ended in timely fashion. I’m pretty sure nobody went out of business simply because of a bond issue. Moreover, the taxes weren’t a big burden for me personally, nor did an extra 1 percent tacked on a purchase in Powell make a trip to Billings worthwhile. What they did do is help make the community I live in better.

That’s why I pay taxes, and if a 1 cent increase in the sales tax appears on the ballot, that’s why I’ll vote yes.