Sacramento Bee (CA), April 24, 2008

In the April 17 editorial "Taxes done and mailed; let's consider reforms," The Bee says: "An ideal tax system would be flat overall, with progressive income taxes offsetting regressive property, sales and excise taxes. That way, each income group would pay a similar share of income in taxes."

Why go through this elaborate Rube Goldberg scheme to get to a flat tax burden? California should eliminate property, sales and excise taxes and simply tax everyone's income at a single flat tax rate. Most people pay sales and property taxes out of current income anyway, so let's just tax income at a single rate.

The Bee wants a modern tax system that is "fair, efficient and simple." A flat income tax fits the bill.

- Lawrence J. McQuillan, Sacramento