Property Taxes
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The Times is right to soundly criticize Gov. Pete Wilson, who is refusing to hand back the tax-base revenues that he diverted away from local governments during our state’s recession (editorial, Jan. 25). Emergencies may happen, but emergencies end. The crisis is over for the state. Sacramento is now drooling over how to spend an expected surplus in the billions of dollars.
Wilson should do what is fair and right. He should give back to the cities the share of property tax and other revenues that had historically belonged to local governments until his tax grab of 1992-94.
My own town, Seal Beach, has had to raise utility taxes on residents and businesses to an unacceptably high level of 11%, which is the highest rate in the county and among the top rates in the state. If we could get a fair budget out of Sacramento, cities like Seal Beach could lessen the reliance on punitive, unproductive money gizmos like the utility tax.
BILL ORTON
Seal Beach
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