Homeowners’ Stake in Emergency Care

Re “Facing a Real Emergency,” Aug. 7: The outrage of some property owners over the proposed property tax to fund our trauma network is disingenuous. Mortgage interest and real estate taxes are deductible against federal income tax. This is a very nice tax break that homeowners enjoy. Renters do not have access to such a deduction, and owning a house is becoming less possible for many hard-working people. I think property owners who decry the “unfairness” of this tax without acknowledging the preferential tax benefits they receive are a bit hypocritical.

Let’s find a way to fund this important resource for our community. I think $40 or $60 from even modest households already receiving a tax break from Uncle Sam is not too much to ask. As one privileged to be a homeowner, I would not mind paying this tax. My greater fear is that our first-class trauma network will not be there when needed by homeowners or anyone else.

Barbara Siegman

Van Nuys