Tax Loophole Stirs Up a Sea of Resentment

Re “Loophole You Can Sail a Yacht Through,” June 30: Yachting in California used to be very middle-class recreation. The typical racing sailboat was a 30-footer, owned by an aerospace worker and crewed by his family and friends. Today, boating, particularly in Southern California, is much more a rich man’s game.

It would not hurt my feelings to force a few wealthy scofflaws to pay their fair share. To say they would leave the state is nonsense. Maybe they could just buy slightly smaller boats so a few more little guys could squeeze into the marinas.

Stu O’Guinn

Huntington Beach

How did Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger miss this one in his search for a balanced budget? Defending a tax loophole for the wealthy, Senate GOP Leader Dick Ackerman has the answer: “You have to look at the big picture.... How many jobs are created when someone buys a half-million-dollar boat?” There it is. How many jobs are created when someone buys, say, a $50,000 car or a $5,000 bicycle? Or for that matter, following Ackerman’s logic, how many jobs are created when anything is bought or sold? The logical conclusion would be to eliminate the sales tax entirely. Just imagine the jobs we would create!

Oh, I forgot. These benefits, bestowed by “our” representatives, aren’t meant for you and me. But the income is still needed from us.

Richard A. Hein

Fullerton

Why just yachts? Politicians know it affects only a small number of voters. Just buy your yacht over the Internet and you also won’t have to pay sales tax. Oh, sorry, that affects too many potential voters.

Arnie Sperling

Los Angeles