I’m responding to David Griffin’s letter (“Business letter has some factual inaccuracies,” published Aug. 26) in frustration with government employees not knowing where their pay comes from, which includes Congresswoman Kim Shrier. Mr. Griffin says in his letter that “Businesses alone don’t pay close to 100 percent for the teachers, firefighters and police” and that “The federal government allocates money to help pay for teachers, firefighter and police”

Mr. Griffin and all others who are confused on this topic. Where does the Federal Government receive it’s money from? The answer is very simple: private businesses and their employees pay for it all. Your comeback will be; “Well government employees pay taxes so we pay for the funds that run government too!” Nope! All the money paid to government employees, (local state and federal) including pay, pension, health insurance and the taxes they pay, comes from one source: the private businesses and their employees. The government cannot produce income. The government can only consume income.

Ted DeVol

Enumclaw