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In response to “Don't squander this chance for tax reform” (July 1 Editorial):
Average N.C. resident won't benefit from tax proposal
Your editorial should be headlined as “don't squander this chance for tax increases.” Tax reform is not what the General Assembly is going to give the super majority of North Carolina individual taxpayers.
Reductions in the rate of income tax will disproportionately benefit corporations and the top 10 percent of wage earners in our state. “Broadening the base” is a euphemism for imposing sales taxes on services that are not currently taxed.
The average North Carolina taxpayer will pay much more in sales taxes on car repairs and hair cuts than they will benefit from any reduction in individual income tax rates.
Donald R. Latham
Charlotte
Obama, try supporting constitution – theirs and ours
Where is the outcry from Democrats when Obama supports the Honduran dictator trying to regain power? Chavez and Castro also support this guy.
I guess Obama doesn't support the constitution of their country or ours. The residents of Honduras peacefully enforced their constitution by removing the president who was trying to stay in power past his term. Obama should stop supporting dictators and support freedom.
Richard L. Bean
Charlotte
Kennedy didn't want socialized care for his brain surgery
With all the publicity about national health care, perhaps a fact has escaped the general public – that Sen. Ted Kennedy chose to use North Carolina's Duke University's doctors and hospitals for his brain surgery. He represents Massachusetts, which has socialized health care. His actions tell us that socialized care is not good enough for him.
National health care is a horrific idea. Thank Sen. Ted Kennedy for illustrating this.
Jackie Wilson
Whispering Pines
Marx and Lenin would be proud of N.C. beach plan
It appears the North Carolina legislature is going to consider an insurance reform to the Beach Plan that will require me to subsidize insurance on property that I do not own. This is totally ridiculous and is unacceptable to me and probably a very large percentage of the population of North Carolina.
I would certainly like to know how many and the names of our elected officials who own property at the beach and would benefit from this communist plan. Marx and Lenin would be proud of the individuals who came up with this idea.
Bobby Kistler
Statesville
Call Meck lawmakers about new beach insurance plan
Under the new Beach Plan, we will all pay to rebuild beach McMansions owned by the wealthy after the next hurricane. North Carolina's Beach Plan insures $73.6 billion worth of coastal property. Yet the Beach Plan has the resources to pay only about $1.6 billion in damage.
A new bill (HB 1305) sponsored by Rep. Hugh Holliman (D- Lexington) solves this by forcing every property owner in the state to make up the difference after the next storm. The new Beach Plan bill is currently in the Assembly Finance Committee, where the Mecklenburg representatives are Kelly Alexander, Becky Carney, Tricia Ann Cotham and Thom Tillis.
Donald C. Booth
Charlotte
Tommy's back, and worth the price of my subscription
AAH ! Once again, we're given the pure pleasure of Tommy's well spun words. Next time folks want to gripe or moan about the cost of an Observer subscription, I suggest they read Tommy Tomlinson's column.
Patricia Claiborne
Charlotte
In response to “The enormous wasted potential of John Edwards” (July 1 Editorial):
Good riddance to John Edwards, his lying and self-absorption
Thank God that this lying, self-absorbed, I-feel-your-pain trial lawyer self-destructed on his way to doing anything. Thankfully, “nothing” was exactly what he accomplished in his political career.
Kent J. Ashton
Concord
Over-fed and homeless just don't jibe in my view
Few things are sadder than homelessness. However, continued pictures in the Observer of “homeless” individuals overweight with $50 hair styles work against any sympathy you may be encouraging. Over-fed people with possessions and expensive luxuries are not homeless. They are seeking free rent.
J.S. Buchanan
Charlotte
In response to “Fame, I'm (not) gonna live forever” (June 30 Viewpoint):
Wanna bet Jackson's music outlives Cal Thomas' words?
The music of Michael Jackson may not “live forever.” However, I am 100 percent certain that the music and influence of Michael Jackson will “live longer” than the opinions of Cal Thomas.
Tracey Rossman
Concord
Aren't we just bequeathing our poison to another generation?
Will someone please clarify where the captured carbon from coal fueled power plants will be buried? If this stuff is poison to our atmosphere, how can it not be poison to our ground – even if it is contained? Are we not gifting this problem to another generation?
Tara Anastasi
Matthews
