The Death of Howard Jarvis

Your editorial (Aug. 14) on Howard Jarvis, “Death of a Gadfly,” is an insult to a great American who helped his fellow citizens combat the “spendocrats” in government who insist on overtaxing the homes of the taxpayer to pay for their overspending. Proposition 13 saved our home and everyone we know is grateful for the tax relief.

Why then did Proposition 13 take root in the rest of the United States? It is because gluttonous governments in other states, not only California, were also exceeding reasonable tax rates and needed to be put on a fiscal diet. The editor who wrote about Jarvis obviously had nothing better to do than to be a busybody, which is the definition of a gadfly, if one refers to Webster’s unabridged.

I am sorry that Howard Jarvis couldn’t live another lifetime to take on some more “spendocrats.” We need him and others like him.

GRACE OBRAY

Manhattan Beach