Rising costs and tax pressures stretching families to the limit
Published:Saturday | February 14, 2026 | 12:06 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
I am writing in strong support of The Gleaner letter to the editor highlighting the growing strain that rising taxation and the overall cost of living are placing on ordinary people. The concerns expressed reflect the reality of families who are quietly recalculating their monthly budgets and discovering that the arithmetic no longer works in their favour.
The cost of basic necessities continues to climb. Grocery bills stretch further each week, transportation fares consume a larger share of income, and electricity bills arrive with unsettling regularity and size. For households already balancing rent or mortgage payments, school expenses, and medical costs, these increases are not minor inconveniences; they are destabilising pressures.
When fuel prices rise, commuters pay more. When electricity costs increase, small businesses and households feel it simultaneously. Every adjustment compounds the next.
High mortgage rates have added another layer of anxiety. Families who took the step of purchasing homes now face significantly higher monthly repayments, sometimes hundreds of dollars more than they initially budgeted for. Prospective home-owners, particularly young professionals, are reconsidering their plans entirely. The dream of home ownership feels increasingly distant. At the same time, renters are not insulated from these pressures, as landlords pass on higher financing and utility costs.
Transportation costs deserve particular attention. Many workers rely on daily commutes that now absorb a disproportionate share of their earnings. When fares increase, workers cannot simply opt out of travelling to their jobs. The result is less disposable income for savings, education, and investment in family well-being. Students, too, are affected, as transportation expenses become an added burden on already stretched households.
Electricity costs remain a persistent concern. When light bills spike, families are forced to make difficult choices. Small businesses, particularly in retail and food services, must either absorb higher utility costs or pass them on to consumers, further driving inflationary pressures.
The additional tax burdens announced by the government raises apprehensions. People are not resistant to contributing to national development. However, they reasonably question how much more can be absorbed without undermining household stability. When wages remain relatively fixed while living costs escalate, even modest increases in taxation can tip families into financial distress.
Sustainable public finance must coexist with sustainable household finance. Policymakers would do well to recognise that resilience has limits. There is need for conversation that must prioritises cost containment, efficiency, and tangible relief measures alongside any fiscal adjustments.
ROBERT DALLEY