Mailbag: Taxes clearly not the issue in Sunset

The “no on annexation” group Citizen’s Assn. of Sunset Beach got what it wanted, and now it wants more (“Attorney: We will reject city’s offer,” April 21).

The CASB filed a lawsuit against Huntington Beach on Dec. 9 to block the annexation of Sunset Beach. The grounds are that Huntington Beach would be imposing taxes on the residents of Sunset Beach without a vote of the people of Sunset Beach.

Around April 1, the city of Huntington Beach notified the attorneys of the CASB in a proposed settlement that if the city annexes Sunset Beach, the city would not impose its taxes on the residents of Sunset Beach until a vote of the people of Sunset Beach and Huntington Beach is held sometime next year.

April fools! The CASB got what it wanted but rejected the offer from Huntington Beach. It is obvious that the real concern is not taxation without representation, but rather preventing the annexation of Sunset Beach by Huntington Beach.

Phyllis Maywhort

Sunset Beach

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‘Travels with Charley’ contains truisms

I read your piece and was touched (“Somewhat let down by my boyhood hero,” Letters From The Editor, April 28). I understand and agree with your feelings.

If it’s represented as the straight skinny, that’s what it should be, ideally. At the same time, I’m a big Steinbeck fan, though I’ve not read any of his work for a long time. I did read “Travels with Charley” and remember that my impression was strongly positive.

I also agree with your exposition on the rationalizations commonly used to mix fiction and journalism, which you attribute to that era more than to the present. However, I think that “true” has a wider meaning in some contexts, and I hope that you can extend the definition to include the text in question, if only to dispel your disappointment.

Ed Van den Bossche

Newport Beach