I have a question that I think needs to be answered

What are the purpose of taxes? It seems as though this question is too simple, but I think it is the fundamental question. I think the purpose of taxes is simply to fund the needs of the government. It sounds too simple to be debatable and maybe that’s why it isn’t debated.

Taxes (in the theoretical sense) should only exist to pay for goods and services. This is no different than for the ordinary citizen when he goes to the store. Common sense says that you don’t go to the grocery store and pay an arbitrary sum for your groceries? You pay what they cost and no more. However with our current tax structure things are backwards. There is no bill provided by the federal government for the goods and services they provide. They give you what they want to give you and take what they want to take. If they take in too little they place a hidden tax on you called inflation, if it is too much they simply find ways to spend it. This makes no sense. I am fine paying the bill. But if it turns out that I overpaid, simply return my money. That’s not asking too much, is it?