... Most people understand that printing money is no good because inflation...
Correct... in general terms. And trust me, if anyone knows what inflation is, it would be me. I come from a country that holds a world record in inflation... a whopping 100%...per day!
But I asked already "What inflation?" There was
no increase in inflation after the quantitative easing (QE) by Fed (which I assume you are referring as "printing money"). The inflation you cited, about 2% per year, is a normal, almost unavoidable inflation, just like about 5% unemployment is considered "natural."
... Most people know that raising taxes reduces the money available to them to buy stuff...
Again, way oversimplified. Things in economics do not have such a linear, one-dimensional, cause-consequence effect. Take for example property taxes. Where I live (Midwest), they actually went down, after reassessing property values. But even if they didn't, I would be more than happy to pay that and more. My father used to say that he is very happy when he pays taxes. To my astonished look, he would explain that's because he has reached the income level that requires him to pay taxes. I am a happy man when I pay taxes and I would not mind paying more, IF I would know that would not end in the fat cats pockets (for instance, when they finance unnecessary wars, which is just a good business for the 1%-ers). In the case of my property taxes, 65% of that goes to the school district, which results in it being among the best in nation. So, what would I rather choose, to pay less than $7K or $8K in property taxes that I am paying now, or to pay $12K - $20K for a private school instead?
Paying more taxes also results in more people having jobs or getting paid better. First through domestic government spending, then through secondary demand when those new or better paid jobs start spending money. More consumer spending means more new jobs created in the non-government sector as well.
Paying more taxes also means more money for the underprivileged, thus less of them forced into crime, thus I'll have a safer life. Or more police and firefighters protection. Or more and better teachers.