Taco Bell Move

* It’s no crime that the management of Taco Bell is dangling tax incentives from Texas in front of our elected officials in Sacramento. The real crime is in the reasons that motivated them to consider moving in the first place.

Rather than attack the source of the problem (the anti-business regulatory and tax climate), Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) joins hands with Gov. Pete Wilson and conjures up yet another new bag of fiscal tricks in the form of “investment tax credits” (April 21). Is everyone asleep at the switch? Brown’s legislative aide, Leslie Medina, is quoted as saying “the state will then use other taxes, like increased sales and income taxes, to help offset the tax credits.” Now here’s a classic reversal (Sacramento style) of Robin Hood--stealing from the poor to help the rich!

The common-sense solution is for all those tax-and-spend lawmakers to repeal wasteful spending programs and regulations and reduce the oppressive personal and corporate taxes. Then Taco Bell, along with thousands of other California-based businesses and their employees will, once again, flourish in the Golden State. Oh, for such a day!

DENIS STANTON

Orange