Letters: Blame tax laws, not corporations

Re “Tax planning? Or tax cheating?,” Opinion, Sept. 7

The subheadline (“Laws that encourage corporate tax havens are bad for America”) suggests an indictment against tax law and those who wrote it. But Edward D. Kleinbard’s argument is really against those (Republicans and businesspeople) who take full legal advantage of the law.

A valid case can be made that the law should be different; unfortunately, Kleinbard goes after the corporations that are governed by the law, calling them tax cheats. They are not breaking the law.

Congress writes tax laws; it should be held accountable for its mistakes. Making the user of the law the villain is unfair.

Cees Boudewijn

Camarillo

Tax havens allow the wealthy to reap the benefits of our society without paying for them. If all their offshore holdings had been taxed at the statutory rates, we would have a more manageable deficit.

Here’s how to repatriate that money: Allow offshore funds to be brought home now and taxed at statutory rates or, if the money is not repatriated after a grace period, tax onshore holdings at a 90% rate.

Maitland B. Alexander

Moorpark

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