Readers React: A diaper tax break for people who choose to have a child is unfair

To the editor: I object to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to halt the state sales tax on baby diapers and menstrual products.

Having a child is generally a choice. The world is absolutely overpopulated with humans. Throw-away diapers are an environmental disaster. Why encourage this? What makes these commodities special to merit such a subsidy? What about adult diapers and incontinent supplies? Adult incontinent supplies are quite expensive and, getting old, unlike having a child, is not a choice.

And tampons? Are they more worthy than adult incontinent supplies or any number of items we use? Such mini-handouts seem seldom thought out by government as to whether they contribute to or detract from important community goals.

Why not keep the taxes on diapers and menstrual products and allocate the revenue to public schools? Or to programs for homeless people? Or for other urgent needs? These would benefit kids and our society much more than a minor reduction in cost for throw-away diapers and menstrual products.

Lore Spangler, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Since males cannot benefit from no longer taxing tampon sales, I have to condemn Newsom’s proposal as sexist. In the spirit of egalitarianism, maybe condoms should be included on the list of items exempt from the state sales tax.

Barry L. Friedberg, Corona del Mar

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