Half-Cent Increase in Sales Tax Proposed

Re “Baca Seeks Half-Cent Hike in County Sales Tax,” Jan. 17: Here’s one Republican who’ll vote yes for L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca’s ballot initiative for a half-cent tax for police and fire protection instead of a more costly bond issue. But a lot easier and better way to solve California’s financial crisis would be a ballot initiative to let us vote on selling exploration and drilling rights offshore for natural gas. Natural gas cannot pollute, it cannot foul beaches -- and oil can be separated out. It’s a real shame to watch as major oil companies spend billions of dollars overseas to create jobs in the liquefied natural gas industry so we can import more expensive gas for our growing needs. We should use all that money -- and all those jobs and all that gas -- right here at home. Let’s vote on that.

Richard Ettington

Palos Verdes Peninsula

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We got a half-cent sales tax increase in 1993 (via Proposition 172) for public safety. The problem with government is that it never has enough money. The more money you give it, the more it grows. We need to cut the size of government and control spending. Does anyone remember when our sales tax was 6%?

Chris Knox

Torrance