Deukmejian and State Budget

It is hard to believe that our governor has his feet so firmly planted in concrete as to insist on returning $1.1 billion to taxpayers (July 7).

Not only do we live in a state subject to earthquakes which, at any time, may require vast sums to be spent on national guard services, repair of highways and harbors or simply feeding and sheltering large numbers of citizens displaced by earthquake. Any state government needs a contingency fund and California needs it more than most.

And then there is another question which demands consideration. How much of that surplus will be spent on searching out how much refund goes to whom, the checks, envelopes, postage and last but not least, how much of that money will have to be declared on next year’s federal income tax and be paid to the IRS?

If our governor thinks he can buy votes or good will by mailing piddling checks to the people of California, he is almost surely wrong. They will think him a fool.

ALICE C. REAM

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