It is unbelievable how much fuss there has been over Mitt Romney's taxes (Romney tax returns: A wealth of insight," Jan. 25). He paid what the tax code required, and it is not illegal to be rich.
To put this in context, I have 343 acres in West Virginia, and my property tax bill is $174. In Maryland I have six acres and my tax bill is 20 times what West Virginia charges me, plus I get better service in West Virginia.
I also sit on the Marcellus Shale Run, and I am in negotiations to sell drilling rights. This is a very lucrative deal, and before I do it I will relocate to a more tax-friendly state. This is a financial decision any smart person would make, the same type of decisions Mitt Romney made in the public sector.
If the poor don't like it they can get a job, apply themselves and earn whatever amount they desire. But don't expect people who earn lots of money to support them.
Better yet, have a flat tax on income over a certain limit and let everyone pay the same rate.
J. Michael Collins, Reisterstown