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This country’s greatest problem is the ever-growing wealth and income gap. We may debate appropriate solutions, but the problem is clear.

Sixty years ago, the average CEO was paid about 30 times the average of his workers. Today that ratio runs between 300 and 1,900 times, depending on where you look.

What’s the cause? To me the answer is clear — tax policy.

In the 1950s and early ’60s, we had steeply graduated income tax rates that topped out at 91 percent. That highest marginal rate made it irresponsible for a CEO to receive an astronomical salary since most of it went to taxes. Instead, some of that money was shared with the rank and file, maintaining a reasonable spread between blue collar workers and executives. In addition, the higher tax revenue provided the government with funds that were used to build infrastructure all over the country, without big deficits.

Today, the mentality that “it’s our money and we know best how to spend it” has resulted in the problematic wage gap, rapidly decaying infrastructure and the substantial growth of our national debt. The solution is clear — higher income taxes.

And why is labor taxed more than capital? Clearly capital has served its owners very well. That why they have most of it. So it’s time to eliminate the tax break for capital gain, at least for shorter holding periods.

However, the political climate is so averse to these solutions that the problem won’t even be addressed until it’s beyond repair.

BOB WYNHAUSEN

Sandpoint