The government collects taxes to pay for the following general services:
Education
One major service the government provides is education. In every state, city, and county across the country, there is a public school system set in place so that every child has the opportunity to earn an education.
Healthcare
Another major service the U.S. government provides to its people is healthcare. Every person, regardless of financial status, is entitled to adequate healthcare that meets their needs. This happens in a number of ways, but the most common is through free or reduced priced clinics.
Protection (local, national & international)
Perhaps one of the most important government services is law enforcement, both on a national and local level. Locally, citizens have police departments to help keep the people safe. Nationally, we have the FBI and the CIA, and internationally we have military forces.
Financial Security
The government also provides financial security to its citizens. Each paycheck, a certain portion is taken out of an employees check and donated to social security. When the employee retires or reaches a certain age, he or she can then begin to receive social security benefits.
Visit IRS.gov for tax information for federal, state, and local governments.