Taxes are important. Just not for the reasons that are often talked about. Taxes exist for a number of reasons:

To maintain the value of the currency; To stabilise aggregate demand;To manage growth and distribute wealth and, depending on what you think government is for and who it exists to serve, ensure prosperity and equality of opportunity for their constituents; To discourage bad behaviours (taxation on cigarettes, for example, are designed to discourage smoking and reduce the burden on health systems) & encourage good behaviours, (like promoting sustainability through a tax on carbon and investment in renewable energy); It also exists to accurately cost public spending requirements: infrastructure, education, health, public safety: police, fire, ambulance, defence, intelligence etc.
https://medium.com/@ClaireConnelly/what-are-taxes-actually-for-e3853273b4bb