Taxing domestic oil will increase imports
Proposition 87 is a foolish idea because it will increase the ratio of imported to domestic oil and the total amount of foreign oil we import (“Oil Giants Put Energy Into Other Resources,” Oct. 8).
Drive up Stocker Street in Windsor Hills, Freshman Drive in Culver City or Redondo Avenue in Long Beach and see a remarkable sight: oil wells.
Unsightly they may be, but they have a hidden beauty, for they are neatly and quietly drawing from the earth a portion of the oil we Californians use every day.
Proposition 87 would tax this oil produced by, for and in California, but it would not tax imported oil.
As any freshman economics student can tell you, that would quickly result in less oil being produced here.
Thus it would very likely increase the quantity of oil we import.
California should be striving for energy independence, not stifling local energy producers.
Investors in alternative energy, such as myself, might benefit slightly from Proposition 87. But we all will surely pay for it.
Michael Helperin
Los Angeles
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