State’s Raid on Property Taxes

“Give It Back, Sacramento” (editorial, Jan. 26) accurately describes the state’s diversion of $3.6 billion in property taxes away from the cities and counties, in order to fully fund education. Now we are trying to get that money back. Instead of fighting among ourselves for revenue, however, the state, counties, cities and schools should tap the one level of government whose coffers are bulging--redevelopment agencies.

California’s 382 redevelopment agencies currently divert 8.5% of all property taxes, $1.5 billion annually. While originally intended to alleviate “blight,” most of these funds subsidize new auto malls, luxury hotels, giant retailers and an army of lawyers, consultants, developers and bond brokers. While schools and libraries decay, millions of tax dollars are lavished on stadium schemes from Oakland to Anaheim to San Diego, further enriching wealthy team owners.

Let us end the corporate welfare that redevelopment has become, and restore the money to serve real human needs.

CHRIS NORBY

Mayor, Fullerton

Your editorial was on target. We have 2.7 million people in Los Angeles who have no health insurance, and who depend on the county hospital and clinic system, which has been financially starved for years. The governor has said he wants to stop funding prenatal services to pregnant women. That could add millions to the cost of care, as premature babies and babies with preventable birth defects are born in Los Angeles in greater numbers. We have increased the risk of spreading tuberculosis by overcrowding jails.

If L.A. could get back the $900 million we’ve been sending to Sacramento to balance the state budget every year since 1992, we can deal more effectively with some of the worst health problems found in any major American city. As state revenues rise, returning that money becomes possible.

BRIAN D. JOHNSTON MD

President

L.A. County Medical Assn.