Letters: Talking tax increases, pro and con

Re “Support falls for Brown’s tax hike proposal,” USC Dornsife/Times Poll, Oct. 25

I am always puzzled when people choose to live by theory rather than reality. But that seems to be happening with the opposition to Proposition 30, which would raise sales taxes and taxes on high-income earners. The reality that massive budget shortfalls will be followed by major tuition hikes at colleges and almost a month cut off the public school year doesn’t seem to matter to those who oppose the initiative.

The belief in no new taxes and an exaggerated fear of our own elected officials has convinced opponents that the worst won’t happen. But it will; you just have to do the math.

Then what? How will California’s education system dig itself out of an even deeper hole?

Deborah Robbins

Los Angeles

Gov. Jerry Brown misstates the gist of his Proposition 30 by saying “Yes on 30 — money into schools. No on 30 — money out of schools.” Since Proposition 30 does not earmark any money for schools, the real message is more like “No on 30 — we will hurt your children by cutting the education budget.”

It’s extortion, pure and simple.

John Fessler

Chino Hills

Brown says that “second-grade arithmetic” is behind the rationale for Proposition 30. Given the poor quality of education that many California public schools provide, that means many students will need to be in eighth grade to understand Brown’s point.

Gerry Swider

Sherman Oaks

ALSO:

Letters: Where cats belong

Letters: L.A.’s pet store law

Letters: Diagnosing disabilities