Voting Numbers

Jack Sanders (Letters to The Times, Jan. 12) seems to have several problems with reality. A majority in any vote is measured against the number of those voting, not the number of citizens or registered voters. Therefore, 50.6% of those voting is a majority. And I suspect that more of our citizens would register and vote if it were not for the “crybabies” who resort to “legal challenges” after they lose a vote.

Jack also complains because the proponents of the “jail tax” tried to encourage voters to go to the polls and vote for the proposition. Does he really believe that the only proper action was for his “holy” point of view to be encouraged in presentations to the voters?

Proposition 13, the real issue, should have been limited to the requirement of a simple majority of the voters rather than to the two-thirds majority for the adoption, decrease or increase of taxes--an unreasonable demand. The fact that the voters must approve of taxes rather than the elected officials in the pertinent legislative body was surely enough of a protection for our citizenry.

MORRIS JONES, San Diego