Last October, I had the pleasure of taking a tour of Southwest Youth and Family Services, a human service organization committed to providing low-income, or troubled young adults and their families with services they otherwise could not afford.

I was able to meet with Steve Daschle, the executive director of the program, see the classrooms, stop by the daycare, walk-in on a class devoted to healthy cooking for young parents, and even talk to some of the students attending the alternative high school classes or GED prep classes.

Everything seemed like it was going great - the students seemed motivated and the program was very organized and had a variety of services offered. However, when we sat down to talk about things financially, it was clear that there is a severe lack of funding.

"We definitely aren't in it for the money," says Michelle Accettola, with a laugh. She goes on to explain how Southwest Youth and Family Services has had to, on many occasions, turn away some of those seeking help, usually those ineligible for Medicaid.

It is no secret that these organizations are poorly funded. The mental health and substance abuse sales tax, Ron Sims' proposed idea, will raise $50 million for human service organizations in King County. Obviously, that is enough to make a huge difference in the number of people being served, and has potential to make services more broad and advanced. For those who don't know, the plan is to raise the regular sales tax one-tenth of 1 percent (for example, a penny would be added to a purchase of $10, or a dime to a purchase of $100), costing the average household approximately $25 per year.

Overall, this plan is a great idea. Think about it - we will be taxed amounts too small for us to notice, and it will benefit a good cause vital to our county. To us who fit into the "average household" category, this $25 per year is practically nothing, especially in moderation.

But what about those who don't fit into the "average household" bracket? What about those who are at or below the poverty level and are more prone to spending money on taxed items, such as prepared/fast food? In the long run, those spending more on taxed items will pay much more than the $25 that is expected of the average-income households. Most low-income workers and families are already in poverty and living paycheck-to-paycheck, or are just one paycheck away from poverty itself.

Accepting the sales tax as it is now will lead to hurting those citizens we are trying to help. No matter what, human service organizations desperately need this funding, and the county needs to give it to them.

On my visit to Southwest Youth and Family Services, a young woman stated, "High school just isn't for me. If I wasn't here, I wouldn't be in school."

Human service organizations play a major role in some people's lives, making them very necessary. The sales tax is a good idea for now, but I would suggest some modifications if we want to avoid digging the hole deeper for our citizens in need. Avalon Willows

Queen Anne