Tax Increase for Retired

I see that the President proposes to levy an 85% tax on Social Security benefits of retired individuals with $25,000 outside income and retired couples with $32,000. Once again, our leaders intend to penalize the productive members of our society while rewarding the freeloaders. Most of the people who accumulated this amount of “wealth” did so through hard work, frugal saving practices, and personal sacrifice.

Now, you’re telling us to pick up the tab for everyone who was either too stupid, too lazy or too reckless to save a dime. You have given me the option of working until I die or lowering my standard of living to the same level I had with my first job 35 years ago. Congratulations, President Clinton. You will soon achieve your goal of making everyone in our country equally poor.

HAROLD M. WRIGHT

Chino Hills