Dear Mecklenburg County Commissioners,

If you give me the opportunity to opt-in to pay higher property taxes, I will gladly do so. More, I will encourage my neighbors to do the same.

Why am I willing to may more taxes? Because I believe that our schools, libraries, veteran's services, mental health services, parks and more are not only worthwhile but are critical services for a healthy, growing community. Instead of buying something frivolous for myself — like an iPad or a year's worth of fast food — I'm happy to help fund those types services because I love the people in this community and want them to have every opportunity to live a productive life.

See, plenty of people have helped me out. In turn, I became a more productive citizen, my income tax bracket jumped and I'm now able to contribute more than ever before. I figure if we help others, they, too, may soon be able to contribute more to our community as well. In the end, it's a win-win. Everyone will benefit from better schools, parks, libraries and services.

While I've donated privately to several county-run organizations, I'm simply not aware of all of the organizations that are in need. So, I'd like to contribute to a general fund that shares the wealth. I'm positive that many of my friends and neighbors would also like to contribute to such a fund.

And, if the word "tax" is too scary let's think of a different label that isn't too scary.

Let me know where to send my check.

Sincerely,

Rhiannon Bowman

P.S. Please fire Harry Jones.

Dozens of people made a plea to Mecklenburg leaders Thursday night to spare county agencies from deep spending cuts.

"We're affecting people's lives," said Angie Traylor-Coleman, one of several county employees who spoke in a public hearing before Mecklenburg County Commissioners. "These are not numbers, these are people, they have heartbeats, they have feelings they have livelihoods and they care about what they do."

Read more from MSNBC.com.

What if more taxes equal more happiness?