MAILBAG: Denying marriage to all would popularize it

With all the excitement of the California Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage (“Marriage ruling a leap ahead,” May 23) we seem to have lost sight of one salient fact.

For the first time in American history married people are outnumbered by unmarried people.

Once the stampede of gays to the altar or whatever subsides, can we assume this long-term trend will resume?

People want what they can’t have. The only way to make marriage popular is to deny the right to straights and gays alike.

DONN B. TRAGNITZ

Laguna Beach

Montage hotel is city’s tax collector

Due to the great tax revenue stream from the Montage Resort & Spa, there are many in town who take the position to just let the Athens Group do whatever they want in redeveloping the Aliso Creek Inn. Letters to the editor and comments before City Council thank the Athens Group for all the taxes they pay. They should not be thanking the Athens Group, they should be thanking me. Well, not me exactly, but those who insisted a hotel be built.

Wasn’t the initial proposal for the former Treasure Island mobile home park to be converted entirely into residential lots? Laguna Beach taxpayers and the Chamber of Commerce should be pleased the developer’s plans were rejected and shaped to better affect the city finances.

My understanding is that city taxes paid by a new residential subdivision is basically a wash with the cost of providing services about equal to the city’s share of property taxes paid. This is because the city receives only about 25% of the property taxes paid with the school district getting a chuck and the bulk going to the State of California.

Property tax is the main tax the Montage pays. They receive services such as the Laguna Beach Police Department responding to guests allegedly brandishing guns which resulted in the police shooting and killing two Montage guests. When this matter is finally resolved, it may well consume all the property taxes paid to the city by the Montage.

What about sales taxes and transient occupancy taxes (bed tax)? There is a big difference in being a taxpayer and being a tax collector. These taxes are paid by others which the Montage collects.

Those, like me, who have followed the city budget, insisted a large hotel should be built as it offered the opportunity for an annual revenue increase equal to about 10% of the city’s general fund. Best is that the revenue is discretionary, and can be spent as the city council chooses.

That the Montage collects the sales tax paid by others is icing on the cake. Of the 8.25% tax, most goes to the state, county and the Orange County Transit Authority

Guests of the Montage pay 12% bed tax with the city-imposed tax being 10%.

This adds up to significant revenue to the city about $9 million this coming year with the Montage collecting about half that amount from their guests.

Those whose position was to let the developer do what he wants were wrong, and those who fought to have a large hotel built were right.

GENE FELDER

Laguna Beach

Aussies love Laguna Beach on TV

We were recently “down under” in Australia and New Zealand. The people there are very friendly and easy to strike up a conversation with. Seemed like everyone knew all about Laguna Beach. So we started to ask if they had visited here. Oh no. Apparently the TV show “Laguna Beach” is quite popular there.

JIM KREDER

Laguna Beach

Council correct on Pike project

Editor’s note: The following is an answer to the Coastline Pilot’s question in the May 16 issue regarding whether the City Council made the right decision to allow only one home on the Pike property.

Absolutely, the City Council made the right decision! Good for them.

PORTIA ARUTUNIAN

Laguna Beach