How much did the government spend for each tax dollar raised in the tax increase that was supposed to balance the budget?
For every dollar the tax increase raised, the government spent one dollar and eighty-three cents. The increase was supposed to balance the budget, but instead it illustrates spending outrunning revenue. That ratio shows the shortfall. This exactly matches what is happening to taxpayers today.
Les explains that the elders of Israel reminded Rehoboam that Solomon’s glorious kingdom had been built at the expense of the ordinary taxpayer. He then draws a modern parallel: even a few years earlier, when a tax increase was supposed to balance the budget, for every dollar taxes were raised, the government spent a dollar and eighty-three cents. Les concludes that this is exactly what is happening to us.