11/25 Letters: Net neutrality must be protected

Regarding “FCC announces promised plan to end net neutrality” (Nov. 22): I’m writing to express my concerns over FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s recent announcement regarding his intention to change pre-existing net neutrality rules. I am asking for Rep. Ted Budd, Sen. Thom Tillis and Sen. Richard Burr to take a stand against this change. Net neutrality helps ensure that there is an even playing ground for all consumers. Without net neutrality, telecom and cable companies could very well influence internet searches, news and how we access the internet as a whole. This would influence the ability for individuals to create and communicate openly and freely on the internet.

Without net neutrality, telecom and cable companies could also negatively influence services, to their advantage. Moreover, this uneven playing field would also disadvantage entrepreneurs. Small businesses wouldn’t necessarily have the financial clout of larger companies, to pay into this uneven playing field. Please do whatever possible to help keep current rules in place.

Don’t remove deduction

A recent letter to the editor “Remove Deduction” (Nov. 8) discounted concerns over “high tax states” losing their deduction for local taxes because these deductions unfairly lower the federal tax paid by the residents of these states. The presumed shortfall in federal revenue must then be made up by residents of other states.

At first glance this seems a logical argument but when one looks more closely at the data, it falls apart. The top five states in terms of federal tax paid per capita (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut and New York) all have high local taxes. The bottom five states in federal tax paid per capita (Mississippi, West Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama and New Mexico) all have low local taxes. On the other hand, when looking at funding being returned to the states from federal coffers, the higher taxed receive less per capita than the lower taxed. Hence a more data-driven explanation of the current system would be that low tax states are depending on the higher taxed to make up their shortfalls. Removing the deduction for state and local taxes would only exacerbate this imbalance.

‘No’ on tax cuts

Regarding “Tax bill could push graduate students out of universities” (Nov. 16): I am a small business owner, and student. I’m choosing to advance my education as suggested by several members of Congress. But under this new tax proposal my projected tax bill will increase by approximately 300 percent if I take fellowships for my graduate-level education.

I’m doing exactly what has been suggested, bettering my position so I can afford basic necessities. Yet, I am going to be taxed heavily because I am choosing to better myself through higher education. I don’t understand how our Sens. Thom Tillis and Richard Burr, and Rep. G.K. Butterfield, can support a tax structure that rewards corporations and takes money from middle class. Please vote against the tax reform, it is not helping the middle class.

This story was originally published November 24, 2017 at 6:00 PM with the headline "11/25 Letters: Net neutrality must be protected."