Fill the gap by spreading the burden reasonably
Manhattan: New debt increases interest payments, is often an inflation risk, impairs investor confidence and reduces the government’s ability to meet other needs. Avoiding new debt is desirable. It can be accomplished by increasing taxes and revenues by small but crucial amounts. If a proposed federal budget exceeds revenues, additional taxes levied should not be based on current rates but on an apportionment of needed funds among the top 50% of taxpayers. The top 1% in a recent year paid 46% of all income taxes, according to the Tax Foundation. The remaining top 5% paid 20%. Similarly, the top 10, 25 and 50% paid 5, 15 and 25% respectively. The bottom 50% of all taxpayers paid 2-3%.
These percentages for the top 50% should be used to cover future budget shortfalls. Assuming a $1 trillion shortfall, the top 1% would pay 46% of it, or $460 billion. There are approximately 1.5 million taxpayers in this category, so each would pay $307,000. The remaining top 5% would pay 20% of the shortfall (20% of 1 trillion, or $200 billion, divided by 6.2 million taxpayers equals $32,000 each). Other lower categories of taxpayers would pay even less. Current budget discussions mention shortfalls as high as $5 trillion. However, even this can be met by new, largely acceptable taxpayer charges.
The requirement that budget overruns be met by additional (minor) taxation should be enacted into law. However, even in the absence of that, it could be followed to everyone’s advantage. While it is unlikely that Congress will use this concept now, its rationale is clear and should be on the table. Raymond Tillman
Out only
Massapequa, L.I.: On Thursday, the story on page 15 says there will be improvement within weeks at Newark Airport. You said, “Limiting flights to 28 takeoffs and 28 departures an hour has allowed Newark to operate safely.” Newark will be operating safely because there will be no planes on the ground since there are no arrivals, only takeoffs and departures. Ron Boehning
Outrageous assault
Brooklyn: When I saw the face of Police Officer Chowdhury Nafees on the front page of this newspaper (“Cop fights back,” May 29), I actually froze. To think that two young criminals continued to assault and rob him while knowing he was a cop is unthinkable. I will remember the look on that young officer’s face for a long time. I hope you have a speedy recovery and get back to work soon. Louie Scarcella
Bat runs in
Manhattan: The Daily News reports: “The Mets are now hitting .211 with runners in scoring position” (“Mets look a little bit soggy,” May 29). Designated hitter Mark Vientos, who is devoid of any semblance of a two-strike approach as a hitter, said: “I don’t think the whole season is gonna be like this.” Don’t count on it, Mark! If you and most Mets hitters continue to swing for home runs, ignoring that you play half of your games in one of the league’s bigger ballparks, the Mets will be in third place before you know it! Knocking in runs with men on base used to be called “clutch hitting,” but the analytics nerds trying to ruin the game don’t consider that a factor in evaluating a hitter’s performance and team outcomes. The Mets should have a tutorial on using the whole field and understanding the importance of putting the ball in play in two-strike counts, especially with runners in scoring position! Gerard Rosenthal
Light pressure
Scranton, Pa.: What sanctions will President Trump put on Vladimir Putin for his continued violation of international law? I predict he will charge Putin full price for a MAGA hat and a personally autographed Stormy Daniels bra. If those sanctions do not keep him in line, Trump may throw a tantrum or two, with a word salad whine. Vin Morabito
Indefensible idea
Highland Falls, N.Y.: A new file has to be opened in every thinking American’s head. I call it: “Stupid crap Trump says.” File away things like reopening Alcatraz or invading Greenland. Nonsense. Now comes a big one: After decades of cooperating with Canada on missile defense (NORAD and the Distant Early Warning Line, to name two), Trump’s magic “Golden Dome” will stop nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles over some imaginary line in the sky between the U.S. and Canada. Does gold stop radiation? The dumbest disaster movie writer would not propose something so absurd, but our president revives Star Wars and promises the defense industry millions in profits for nothing. Definitely file material. My main concern is that the file grows so big, Americans with more than half a brain may forget how to breathe. Joe Cyr
Vanishing wound
Staten Island: To Voicer George O’Neill: As long as we’re on the subject of scams — oh, look! It’s a miracle! No more wounded ear! Please. Victor R. Stanwick
Underrepresented
Plainview, L.I.: To Voicer Susan Caprio: Thank you for your letter of support. It’s nice that others feel that Trump, an imperfect man trying to do an impossible job, isn’t as bad as he’s portrayed to be. I sincerely believe there are many more pro-Trump New Yorkers who read the Daily News and write to Voice of the People than the pittance alluded to in my letter. From the day it was published on Saturday, and including the one I responded to regarding the president and the pope, through this Wednesday there were only six out of 23, or 25%, that were positive for Trump. I’d be interested in knowing just how many for Trump they receive. I’m sure many others would be, too. John Cilento
Spun out
Manhattan: Now I’m reading that Elon Musk has had enough of Trump, politics and DOGE. I don’t know why it came to mind, but I’m reminded of a time in the past when climbing into a dryer in a laundromat and taking a half-hour of spins was considered fun. That’s what the past few months have felt like. Don Cerrone
Has a pass
Larchmont, N.Y.: To Voicer Frank Mauceri: The Daily News was unbiased enough to print your idiotic letter. Your concern that Joe Biden won’t be prosecuted because of his recent cancer diagnosis is completely unfounded. You seem to forget that the Supreme Court recently granted immunity to the president regardless of their crimes committed in office. Thank God for that, otherwise your orange leader would be in prison for treason, among other things! Steve Michaud
Open to arrest
Brooklyn: There were protests against ICE because of a high school student taken into custody (“22 activists cuffed at immig court protest,” May 29). Supposedly, the protesters don’t like ICE’s tactics. Meanwhile, if you are in the country illegally, you should know that you are at risk of being taken by ICE. Whether you are a high school student or not, it is a federal law that has been ignored these past few years. Migrants not getting a green card to begin with are at peril. What is also strange is a 20-year-old high school student. What is a 20-year-old doing in high school? Joseph Comperchio
Unearned inheritance
Chatham, N.J.: To Voicer Bradley Morris: It was good to hear from a fellow naturalized citizen (my family came from Austria in 1950), but let’s face it, “wokeness” aside, white citizens of both America and South Africa have benefited from the efforts of their colonial forebears to disenfranchise non-white inhabitants. Native Americans were classifiable as “Stone Age” because (in a labeling system invented by white Europeans) the “savages” hadn’t discovered the use of iron. Still, they may not have deserved to be forcibly herded onto reservations or killed outright, processes that continued into the early 20th century. I’ve never been to Africa, but I grew up in blue-collar New Jersey, where the economic inferiority of many African-Americans was obvious. Among my peers and myself, no thought was given to the historical reasons for the apparent inferiority: 300 years of subjugation, including times when whites were legally prohibited from teaching slaves to read. Paul Denk
Equality of bigotry
Bronx: Why all the antisemitism outcry? What about anti-Black, anti-Hispanic, anti-Arab and anti-white? Are they less important? Edwin Garcia
