O.C. Sales Tax Defeat

* Re “O.C. Voters Reject Sales Tax Hike by 3-2 Margin,” June 28:

Whenever any one of my fellow Orange County residents complains to me about the terrible fallout from the bankruptcy, my first comment will be to ask that person, “Did you vote for Measure R?” If the answer is “No,” my immediate response will be, “Then shut up.”

MARCIA L. GOODMAN

Huntington Beach

* I’m a Vietnamese American, a registered voter, and voted no on R, of course. I do not want “to express” my “anger . . . to punish somebody,” as Sheriff Brad Gates says I do.

As one of the taxpayers, I just want the county to explore all the alternate opportunities to reduce the spending (not at the expense of the poor and helpless people, of course), cut waste and redundancies within the county government. Then we, the taxpayers, will decide to give the county more money to operate effectively.

NANG V. NGUYEN

Costa Mesa

* So rich, spoiled Orange County won’t vote for a half-cent sales tax increase to help clean up their own mess. Do they expect the rest of us to pay? Get a life, O.C.

THEODORE KORNWEIBEL JR.

San Diego