Al Gore

Re “Gores Gave $353 to Charity in ‘97, Earned $197,729, Tax Return Shows,” April 14: A person making more than $195,000 per year is in the top 1% of all people reporting income. According to politicians, these are the super-rich who should be giving more back to society’s less fortunate.

It’s nice that Vice President Al Gore has set the standard for charitable donations for a person in the top tax bracket at $6.78 each week. At $50,000 a year, the comparable amount, to equal Gore, would be about $1.70 a week. Let’s all get behind Gore’s generosity and give a proportional amount based on our income so that charities will be able to take care of the less fortunate.

BARRY LEVY

Redondo Beach

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If exaggerated charitable contributions really trigger an IRS audit, Gore should certainly sleep well tonight.

GERALD W. WRIGHT

Los Angeles

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Does anybody else think that a guy who is the U.S. vice president ought to be a bit more outraged at the tax codes, when he has to spend $4,500 to prepare a 30-page tax return for a measly $197,000 in income? Even if the $4,500 was a misprint, a 30-page return?

I think every elected government official should be required to fill out his or her own tax return and that he or she should be audited by the IRS. Until we force these people to use the system that they have created, we’ll be stuck with it.

ED CISEK

Lake Forest