Budget blame

Re “State takes budget talks to the wire,” July 1

There is a constitutional mandate that there be a budget by June 30. Thus, our elected officials have declared two things: They have refused to perform their constitutional duty to “protect and defend the Constitution of the state of California” and they have declared themselves incompetent in the positions to which they were elected.

I would also like the elected officials to let me know how much of the state Constitution I can ignore if it is inconvenient for me. I am just following in their footsteps.

Jim Goodenough

Canoga Park

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Here’s a question: If my wife and I fail to pay and file our taxes, how large would our fine be?

So when Sacramento starts sending out IOUs instead of checks, why are members of the Legislature not penalized?

Chris Daly

Yucaipa

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When will American leaders look at immigration?

The hard truth is that there are far more low-skilled and unskilled people than professionals in California, in the U.S. and in this world.

Most low-skilled people simply do not pay enough taxes to offset even the cost of educating their kids, let alone the costs of other social services. Therefore, more people coming into a state essentially means more job-seekers, polluters, students and drivers.

Yeh Ling-Ling Oakland