To the editor: Before the changes to the cap-and-invest system described in the Sunday edition, California was competing with a handful of states for the most anti-business state in the U.S. (“After heated debate, California updates key climate limit. Critics say it’s a retreat,” May 29) Legislators have made many changes that are both pro- and anti-business, which essentially cancel each other out. That leaves California as the front-runner for the dubious distinction.
All refineries will still leave California, perhaps one or two years later than they would have previously. The state’s anti-electricity-generation policies remain about the same when you net the changes, leaving California with some of the highest prices for electricity of any state. Most drivers still don’t want electric cars and never will. Members of Congress will either be voted out of office or bankrupt their counties with massive subsidies if they force everyone to buy them.
The laws of capitalism cannot be broken, and environmentalists’ continuing attempts to that end will only increase the number of hard-working, income-tax-paying people who leave California and increase the affordability crises for those who stay. California already won its contest with Hawaii and New York for highest income taxes of any state and its Legislature continues to debate additional increases. We haven’t won the award for highest sales taxes of any state, but we have come close and will continue to.
Despite this incredible tax burden, California (and especially Los Angeles) doesn’t have enough money to fix its potholes and broken sidewalks.
Gordon Binder, Pasadena
