Taxation of freebies in Hollywood, Congress

Re “Hollywood Gets the FreebieJeebies,” Aug. 19

Here’s a suggestion to help the poor movie stars from worrying about the Internal Revenue Service and paying taxes on the value of their “free” swag gifts. Each star’s swag bag should contain a note stating that a donation has been made in his or her name to the Los Angeles Unified School District. The amount of the donation could be the same for every actor, or for a greater amount for more bankable actors. It might even lead to a contest among the actors to see whose name generates the most donations. Maybe then the vast majority of us who see Hollywood as “Greedywood” might have a better opinion of the rich who get richer simply by showing up at film festivals and award shows to collect their expensive gifts. Hmmm, sounds like a fictional Hollywood movie script, doesn’t it?

MAGGIE BELL

Dana Point

*

The ever-vigilant IRS is now going to treat as taxable income any goodies that accrue to those at the Oscars and other such ceremonies. Does this mean that the avalanche of freebies that seems to descend on members of Congress as soon as they are elected will now come under the severe gaze of the IRS?

BUD STUART

Santa Barbara