CLEAN AIR
To reduce emissions, consider a carbon tax
As the AJC noted in a recent front-page story, President Obama’s initiative to reduce emissions that are disrupting our climate will likely cause electric bills to rise (“Emissions crackdown could drive up prices,” News, June 26).
Lack of action from Congress has forced the president to take this less-than-desirable (but necessary) approach. There is still time, however, for Congress to choose an alternative path with little or no economic pain to consumers: a revenue-neutral carbon tax, with proceeds returned to households.
Conservatives who dislike the regulatory approach President Obama has set forth should consider this market-based solution, which is backed by Greg Mankiw, former economic adviser to George W. Bush. They’d best get moving soon, though. The clock is running.
STEVE VALK, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY
NEW COMMUNITIES
Odd boundaries dog proposed DeKalb city
I first heard about the Lakeside city proposal a few weeks ago. In their column (“New cities can help DeKalb,” Opinion, June 28), Mary Kay Woodworth and Jason Lary offered broad platitudes — but did not speak to the lack of geographic integrity of the Lakeside proposal. The more I learned about it, the less I liked it. Among other concerns, I found that my area appears arbitrarily excluded.
The Lakeside proposal seems driven by unpublished economic and political criteria that explain the vaguely dog-like shape of its boundaries. Voters, if not legislators, should reject this “frankendog” of a city.
PETER C. SEDERBERG, ATLANTA
EXECUTIVE PAY
Follow Europeans on CEO compensation
Despite the fact the general economy is still shaky and high unemployment remains an issue, our esteemed top 200 company CEOs continue to be rewarded with extraordinary salary increases, despite some questionable performance records. The median CEO increase in 2012 was 16 percent.
In addition, CEOs who have tired of multi-million-dollar salaries each year can retire with record “golden parachutes” to soften the blow. This, despite shareholder efforts to rein in increases and severance deals. It is time to follow the example of several European countries, and restrict CEO salaries to an agreed multiple of the companies’ average worker salary. Under that system, companies could still reward exceptional CEO performance with shareholder-approved bonuses.
IAN SHAW, CUMMING
