Beware shifting burden to middle/lower classes
Apparently, Georgia’s legislature is determined to resurrect the controversial tax reform package that was previously turned down (“Once again, legislators to target tax overhaul,” News, Jan. 2).
These increases are to be offset by decreases in the state income tax rates. If those tax changes become law, they will result in a huge shift of taxes from high-income folks to low- and middle-income folks. Almost certainly, this would result in a net tax reduction for most General Assembly legislators.
There exists a simple (but irrational) ideology in the legislature that it is better to tax consumption than to tax income. From a fairness view, that makes very little sense. The tax burden on those least able to pay is increased (in many cases, significantly), while the tax burden on those most able to pay is reduced. Legislators who persist in this ideology should be removed.
Jerry Hulshult, Canton
Visitor unimpressed with Peach Pass lanes
Over Christmas, we visited our children, who live in Lawrenceville. We used to live in Atlanta, and loved Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza, so we thought we would go there to shop. The last time we were in Lawrenceville, we got in the HOV lane and moved right along. So imagine our surprise when we saw some lanes had been turned into “Peach Pass” lanes.
While traveling to Buckhead, we were stuck in traffic while not one, single car passed us in the Peach Pass lane. On the way home, our few miles of HOV travel was great, but eventually ended — and we were stuck in traffic for 30 minutes. What brilliant politician came up with the Peach Pass? Don’t send them to South Carolina.
JAN PRINGLE, BEAUFORT, S.C.
Number of crimes small but impact large
Financial services organizations are strongly (and publicly) protesting proposed regulation of their businesses. These firms argue that the regulations are unnecessarily restrictive and that only a few bad actors have caused problems.
A protest by home burglars against burglary laws would make more sense. Only a very small percentage of the population commits home burglaries. Enforcement of home burglary laws has led to innocent people being falsely accused. Each home burglary hurts only a small number of people. Cumulatively, the damages from all home burglaries is only a blip on the economy. The percentage of persons who previously engaged in wrongful financial services activity may be very small, but the economic stakes are enormous. Those people almost destroyed this nation’s economy. I say, “Never again!” Loosely regulated financial institutions are more dangerous than burglars — but burglars do not have lobbyists.
Bill Fokes, Braselton
