Support for Prop. 218

Re Your Oct. 25 editorial opposing Prop. 218, I respectfully disagree. Politicians have hit taxpayers with excessive property assessments, high utility fees and utility taxes imposed without voter approval.

Prop. 218 requires voter approval for tax increases. Prop. 218 gives a meaningful vote to those who pay property assessments without granting new powers to nonresidents or corporations.

Many taxpayers remember the controversial L.A. college district assessment. Under current law, only property owners, including nonresident and corporate landowners, could legally protest that assessment.

Prop. 218 will change the standard to block an assessment from an absolute majority of all property owners, which is nearly impossible to attain, to a majority of those who actually vote.

Finally, the potential statewide revenue loss from 218 represents only 0.1% of the total annual revenues local governments receive.

JACK COHEN

Los Angeles

Joel Fox’s Oct. 20 commentary incorrectly describes special assessments as taxes. Our courts have ruled that special assessments are not taxes because they only charge landowners whose land is increased in value by public services or installations a portion of the unearned windfalls they would otherwise receive.

If Prop. 218 is passed, special assessments will be made almost impossible to pass and either essential services would be further crippled or regressive consumer taxes would have to be used. That is why the big land speculators are pushing for approval of Prop. 218.

MARION E. SAPIRO

Laguna Niguel