Proposed Changes to Federal Taxes

Re “GOP Inherits Momentum to Reduce Federal Estate Tax,” April 19: For those readers who have the attitude of “soak the rich,” I have some news for you. The rich employ gardeners, maids, throw parties, take cruises, buy cars and boats, donate to charities, eat at restaurants, etc., and keep their businesses running. Their dollars create jobs. Through their lavish lifestyle, they buy goods and services and benefit the rest of the “working stiffs.”

For those working in family-owned businesses, your working days are numbered. In my case, 80-plus hard-working employees will lose their jobs because I won’t have the funds to pay off the estate tax. Unfortunately, when you “soak the rich,” it trickles down.

HENRY SAKAIDA

Rosemead

* Re “Change the Tax Laws to Aid All Artists,” Commentary, April 18: William Craig Rice is right to advocate the phasing out of the National Endowment for the Arts.

His article is a microcosm for the whole problem of the federal government’s involvement in the lives of individual Americans. Every point he makes could equally be applied to welfare, health care, retirement planning and many other programs where the government attempts to direct, via the tax code and appropriations, the behavior of Americans toward goals set in Washington. The government should get out of the social engineering business and allow Americans to make their own decisions regarding the use of their own money.

JAMES A. BAUR

Green Valley Lake

* Re “Why Fight a Sin Tax to Aid Child Health?” Column Left, April 22, about a proposal to increase the cigarette tax to fund health care for uninsured children:

I know it may not sit well with those who like taxes punitive, Pavlovian and only for the other guy, but funding any cause with a tax on a product that is meant to encourage people to cease using said product is a Kafkaesque solution at best. If you’re successful in one end you fail in the other.

For the gutless in the crowd, have the nerve to raise taxes across the board if your cause is indeed so worthy. And if your nerve fails and you insist on a balkanized solution, try picking on a minority you don’t hope to destroy. The solution will last longer, make more fiscal sense and demonstrate an improved prognosis on your mental health.

RANDALL E. MOORE

Saugus