California is in a fiscal fix

Re “State Democrats are determined to raise taxes,” March 5

Why degrade our state schools and healthcare to the level of a Third World nation just because the Republicans refuse to acknowledge the obvious need to close some tax loopholes? Americans pay the lowest overall taxes of any industrialized country, so Californians can afford to chip in a bit more to ensure their kids receive decent educations and the dropout rate doesn’t increase. We spend nearly $2,000 less per pupil than the national average, and we have one of the lowest public servant-to-citizen ratios of any state.

The combination of the $7 billion per year we spend in servicing our ever-growing debt because of our failure to raise taxes, plus the fact that we pay much more to the federal government than we get back because of the lopsided congressional system that gives states with low populations more power than states with large populations, are two reasons we have a higher tax burden. Given these and other factors, we need to chip in more to make sure our state stays competitive. Those who advocate for taxpayer protection pledges are just burying their heads in the sand, while creating huge future debt and major other problems for our children.

Claudia Pearce

Los Angeles

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This is more proof Democrats cannot be trusted with finances. With its huge population paying taxes, how can California be broke? It’s because Democrats refuse to live within their means as provided by taxpayers.

What am I getting for paying taxes? The roads need repair, electricity is scarce during the summer and schools are so bad that I’m home schooling my son. Democrats must be held accountable and made to answer why they messed up California.

Mark Bustamante

Alhambra