Taxation Fairness
Editor: Your front-page story on the "fairness" of Maryland taxation (April 23) is full of misleading implications.
It has never been established that "fairness" requires a higher tax rate on higher incomes, but let's set that aside and look specifically at the article's rhetoric. Consider one example of the confusing mixture of rates, ratios of rates, and actual amounts. The NAACP's George Buntin concludes that "Maryland's wealthiest 1 percent . . . pays one-tenth of 1 percent more in state and local taxes than families . . . earning $15,800."
Well, let's see. The latter group pays 8.0 percent (that's $1,264), so I guess the million-dollar-income folks pay $1,265.26? Of course not; the average tax rate is one tenth of one percentage point greater, so the millionaire would pay $81,000. Rather than your headline writer's "about the same," we could call this 6,308 percent greater.
When I was a tax economist with a think-tank in Washington, I did a lot of analysis of the periodic diatribes of Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ), the labor-union outfit responsible for this study. Their populist message was always the same: Rich people don't pay enough, and neither do big corporations.
I found two major types of error. The first was the post hoc fallacy (after this, therefore because of this) and the second was a repeated confusing of economic and accounting interpretations of profit and "effective tax rate." CTJ would flip back and forth between meanings as it suited its purpose, attributing economic incentives to accounting measures of profit and tax rate.
I pointed this second error out to them many times (once, rather obnoxiously, at one of their own press conferences). They repeat it, year after year, in study after study.
The best income tax is low and flat, and the lower and flatter the better. In this respect, Maryland's measures up pretty well.
I know The Sun editorially supports the Linowes report but you do your readers no favor by uncritically publicizing the kind of biased economic rhetoric characteristic of Citizens for Tax Justice.
John B. Egger.
Towson.
The writer is assistant professor at the Towson State University School of Business and Economics.
Readers Defend KAL
Editor: KAL's cartoon depicting the Teflon Reagans has been enlarged and now holds an honored place on my office wall for all the world to see.
Keep 'um coming, KAL!
George Goebel.
Catonsville.
*Editor: I am shocked! Where is The Sun's editorial balance? You have a special little box (why are you so fond of those little boxes?) devoted to vicious letters attacking KAL's cartoons. No positive reactions. No reasoned criticisms.
Are we to assume that the only reaction to KAL's cartoons is vituperation?
Does the special little box mean that you agree and want to emphasize these views?
Please allow at least one reader to applaud KAL, the political realist. He often makes more sense than the whole rest of the paper.
Sarah G. Hendrixson.
Baltimore.
Girls Picked, Too
Editor: E. J. Sale in his letter to the editor said that only boys picked eggs at Easter time -- "no girls allowed." As an old timer, I want to differ with him. I am from Northeast Baltimore, have lived in this area for 72 years (four different addresses), and the girls always picked eggs with the boys.
Sometimes you would find a boy who had a few more tricks than the girls, but that made no difference. We were right out there hollering, "Who's got an egg?" along with them.
Also Paul Rhodes was right -- a couple of weeks before Easter we would pick the raw eggs. You only cracked the tip or the butt of the egg. When Easter came, then came the dyed eggs.
rma M. Mullin.
Baltimore.
Smokers Kill
Editor: Forgotten in Sandra McKee's article, "But Tobacco Is Legal, Dr. Sullivan" is the role of government. As a representative of the federal government, Dr. Louis Sullivan must protect the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of its citizens. Today, substantial medical evidence shows that "secondary smoke" is a hazard to other citizens' lives. Surely, threatening the life of innocent citizens is reason enough to curtail the smoking of tobacco in public places.
It cannot be denied that the tobacco industry is a legal business, with the rights and privileges of one. And, perhaps Dr. Sullivan, as health and human services secretary, goes too far when he states that he desires to "eliminate the use of tobacco in our culture." But we cannot continue to treat smoking tobacco as just another obnoxious habit, like not bathing or picking one's nose. The indisputable truth is -- smokers kill people.
I, too, have been to sporting events and wished for non-smoking areas. And I have sat through meetings where a smoker's smoke burned my eyes and made me cough. But these unpleasant circumstances alone do not merit restricting the privileges of smokers. Indeed, the rights of smokers to smoke in their own home should be as strongly defended as any other enjoyable, yet dangerous act, i.e. parachuting, scuba diving, driving a car, etc.
However, as health secretary of the largest employer in the nation, Dr. Sullivan should ban smoking (a filthy, dangerous and addictive habit) from government buildings. It is a logical step in protecting the lives and health of his employer's work force. More importantly, it is a fundamental right of each citizen to preserve his or her life. Smoking in public places threatens that right. I strongly reserve the right to protect myself from life threatening "secondary smoke" and strongly promote legislation to prohibit smoking in public places.
arren Wortman.
Columbia.
Family Values
Editor: Ann LoLordo's front page story (April 22) about Officer William Sturdivant's homecoming from the gulf war was good reading. The closeness and spirit of his extended family is a model for us all -- black and white, large families and small.
As much as we salute Office Sturdivant's efforts in the war fought for freedom, we must also salute Bertha Braxton Brown's family for its continuing faith in those traditions which have stood the test of time as wholesome and important to human progress.
Stephanie Panos Link.
Hampstead.
Ripples Spread from the Port
Editor: Nearly everyone knows that over the last 10 years, the port of Baltimore has experienced a significant drop in cargo. With many shippers moving cargo from Southern ports, the number of vessels arriving here has been greatly reduced.
As a ship repair contractor who sends qualified men to perform voyage repairs at the marine terminal, my business has also declined. Recently, I was invited to join the private-sector port committee, which is a group of representatives from all facets of the waterfront community.
Just a few months ago, Bud O'Malley, our port administrator, announced that a concentrated effort was being focused on securing military cargo returning from the Persian Gulf.
On April 24, an American ready-reserve fleet vessel which was activated for Desert Storm mobilization came up the bay and docked at the new Seagirt Terminal. Besides discharging government cargo, this vessel brought economic impact beyond anyone's imagination.
The pilots had another ship to navigate the bay, the tugboats JTC had another ship to assist, the line handlers had another ship to secure, the chandler had another ship to supply and our company had another ship to repair.
Our company returned all laid-off personnel back to work. It may be only for a few days, but more than 25 men were directly employed as a result of this vessel's presence and need for minor repairs in the port.
Numerous vendors and subcontractors have also benefited, including the local sandwich ship and hardware store. Non-marine industries which sell ovens, dishwashers and trash compactors have also received a piece of the pie. The economic ripple effect is incomprehensible.
Although the leadership of the Maryland Port Administration is in transition, positive momentum is present and building up steam.
The arrival of the M/V Cape Ducato clearly indicates that goals are being set and achieved.
The business community will only gain as we continue to aggressively market our facilities and pursue the customers relentlessly.
The port is bigger than any one person or faction. We are a partnership working together, and as a group we are turning the tide.
Michael W. Moss.
Baltimore.
The writer is vice president of Phillyship Baltimore.