Question of Tax Hike, Problem of Image Plague Board

The Feb. 11 issue of The Times carried a front page story saying that leading business people in Orange County, particularly developers, were asking three supervisors to either resign or declare that they would not be candidates in the next election.

In the parlance of today’s speech, “give me a break!”

If the records were checked we would find that these are the exact same ones who, over the years, have been among the heaviest financial contributors to the campaigns of the people they are now asking to leave, expressing shock and horror that the supervisors didn’t see this debacle coming.

Rather than demanding the heads of others, they ought to be preparing an explanation to be given to their superiors, their partners, their stockholders--and yes, even their employees--about how much checking they did on the records of recipients of their contributions before they delivered the checks.

And then to add insult to injury, these same pillars of capitalism are saying that the only way out of this mess is to raise taxes. We have legislators from Sacramento to Washington who have been saying--and doing--that for years, over the very vocal objections of these same barons of business, and it has gotten us nowhere but deeper in debt.

PAUL J. MITCHELL

Orange

* The Orange County supervisors, now that they have selected William Popejoy as interim chief executive officer, need to demonstrate their solid commitment to a new era of government for the county. They can help foster a new air of credibility that we the taxpayers need badly.

To evidence their conviction and dedication to positive change, we are suggesting that all five supervisors, including the two newly elected ones, submit letters to Mr. Popejoy offering to resign if he determines that such action would be in the best interest of the county. We trust Mr. Popejoy’s judgment to invoke such letters of resignation as needed in order to “do the right thing” to rebuild county government’s credibility.

The benefits of the foregoing actions will restore the supervisors’ own personal credibility and images. It will also send a message to their taxpaying customers that they are truly interested in fixing the county’s problems. By putting their careers at risk, the supervisors are underscoring their commitment and dedication to finding the solutions that are in the best interest of all Orange County residents. It takes the decision out of the political arena and focuses on results.

ROBERT M. BROWER

JERRY THOMPSON

Irvine

* World-renowned economist Dr. Arthur Laffer is the guru who helped re-engineer the economy during the Reagan Administration.

In a news conference Feb. 8, Laffer made it very clear that a tax increase would be one of the worst things that could happen to Orange County. The increase in tax revenue would be less than projected because people would have less discretionary income, and many who have money would shop in adjoining counties. Many businesses would no longer be competitive and would be forced to close or relocate. Unemployment would increase, and people would have to leave the county to find jobs.

There is only one group promoting new taxes at this time. This group disguises its true motives by calling itself the Orange County Business Council. A more proper name would be the Orange County Developers Council. These developers want to increase taxes because the county would then have money to build infrastructure, which developers need to build more homes.

Supervisors (Roger R.) Stanton, (William G.) Steiner and (Gaddi H.) Vasquez are to be complimented for standing firm on no new taxes. (Supervisor Marian) Bergeson appears to be a stooge for the developers, and possibly (Jim) Silva has similar inclinations. The new CEO Bill Popejoy is presently against new taxes.

It will be interesting the next few weeks to see who will cave in to the developers and who will remain loyal to the taxpayers and the real business community.

BILL MELLO

Huntington Beach

Committees of Correspondence

* It pains me to intrude on the fantasy world of Bruce Whitaker (Letters, Feb. 12) and the Committees of Correspondence, but there is some important information they need. I hope they can absorb these facts.

Practicing the politics of anger may succeed in intimidating or recalling politicians, but it does not increase revenue or yield solutions to the Orange County crisis.

No matter how deeply we cut budgets and programs, we cannot cut our way out of this mess. We cannot borrow our way out of this mess, either, without showing lenders how we can raise enough money to repay them.

Meaningless phrases such as “taking it out of the hide” of the bankrupt party do not raise money. Taxes do. That’s why they are part of the solution.

JEAN MCLUCKIE

Fullerton

* As a supporter of a short-term tax increase to help straighten out the financial mess we’re in, I feel compelled to respond to Bruce Whitaker’s letter regarding the “citizens” who supposedly feed at the public trough. As a social worker, I earn almost half of what my sister earns as a bank loan processor. Yet I gladly entered the social work profession to help others and to affect positive change--not to make money.

It also surprised me to read that we’re an “overtaxed populace,” when Orange County ranks 56th out of 58 California counties in terms of revenue raised from residents. But a tax option to save this sinking ship becomes a “hostile act against the taxpayers”? We need an adequate level of services for all residents to ensure a high quality of life. Call that self-serving if you wish.

SUSAN PERLSON

Brea

* So the developers want to dump their old sweethearts, the supervisors, for opposing an increase in the sales tax. Being spurned must really hurt after all those years of rolling over and just saying yes to the pet projects of the Irvine Co., Rancho Margarita, Philip Morris and others. What good are Stanton, Steiner and Vasquez if their pockets are empty and they can’t subsidize future projects? The county government has been operating for the benefit of a few, at the expense of many. We will be seeing new people pimped, sorry, picked by those who want to plunder our last few acres of green at taxpayers’ expense.

TONI ISEMAN

Laguna Beach

* I was glad to read that William Popejoy would be the interim CEO for Orange County, and that as a symbolic gesture his salary would be donated back to the county. Perhaps Mr. Popejoy will be the guy who can stand up to Sheriff (Brad) Gates, who, as supreme member of the “troika,” has not been able to significantly pare his own massive county sheriff-coroner’s operation (in fact, they are instead hiring new officers and buying several new cars). Come on! I’m in the private sector, and I know it is possible to cut expenses and maintain service. It is being done regularly, in business.

DON ROWAN

Placentia