Letter to the editor

Donating from the economic stimulus check would help those in financial need

Many people have started checking their mailboxes with more frequency in anticipation of their checks from the $145 billion economic stimulus plan approved by Congress in January, and I’m sure many people have already planned what they are going to buy with this financial gift.

But consider this: Since the money in these checks was not earned from work or trade, why not donate some of it? This unprecedented “gifting” of financial credits from the federal government to taxpayers could be a great opportunity to make a huge change. And since a majority of the PLU community is made up of members of the middle to upper-middle class who are not in immediate need of financial help, why not start here?

In general, those people who benefit from the services of charity organizations are in too low of a tax bracket to be included in this stimulus plan. By donating some of your stimulus check to these organizations, you can share the wealth and help those whom our government feels are too poor to be helped. I understand that as college students, every penny counts. But by contributing a small portion of Uncle Sam’s money to those who need it the most, we can all make a huge difference.

Mike Engh, sophomore