Why the wealthy must pay more
Re “Stop sticking it to the rich,” column, Aug. 24
George Skelton makes some compelling arguments against proposals in California once again to raise taxes on the state’s wealthiest people. He is correct that our current system is broken, but not about why.
Rather than relying on 1% of our earners to pay 46% of our state income taxes, we need to create an economy in which the other 99% have increased incomes, sometimes even just livable ones, so that they can contribute more to government revenues.
As long as the bulk of the money stays in the hands of just a few, these one-percenters will have to shoulder an additional burden by paying the most in taxes.
Janet Henry
Rancho Santa Margarita
While I am nowhere near the income tax brackets that would be affected by the proposals in Skelton’s column, I do think there is a general sense of tax fatigue among all earners in our state.
This isn’t the time to slaughter the fattened pig in an effort to balance the budget. Enough already. When the state is able to return to some normalcy in the near future, increasing spending and earning by the wealthiest Californians will help stimulate the economy.
Filling the state coffers isn’t going to help anyone around my neighborhood. Yep, even this liberal says get your hands out of our pockets. Dean Katz
Hollywood
Two of my friends work for the state of California. They will both get a 10% pay cut for the next two years. Their salaries range between $40,000 and $50,000 per year.
They are being told to, in effect, pay a temporary but necessary tax. Other Californians are similarly forced to make sacrifices by receiving reduced levels of service.
And let’s not talk about those at the very bottom of the economic ladder who, unlike my two friends, have also lost their jobs during the pandemic.
Asking the wealthiest members of our society to pay a bit more in this time of crisis is more than fair. Their lifestyles won’t be affected at all.
California is burning, hit by fires and the pandemic. The wealthy should volunteer to contribute more in taxes to do their part in getting us out of