Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor (August 06, 2004)

Young candidates can make a difference

Editor:

I have been seeing many letters in the Voice urging more people to get involved in politics. I want to add to that statement by saying that we need to see more young people involved in politics.

As a community, we should encourage our youth to take up public service. Over 20 percent of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were under 35. Yet, today less than 5 percent of America's elected officials are under 35.

Our youth will emulate what they see others their age doing. I ask our youth who have a conviction to serve to do so, and provide their peers an alternative role than what is served through MTV and Fox.

I am 23, and I have my masters in education from the Stanford University School of Education. Originally, I was going to run for school board because I want to set this example and because someone needs to shine a big and bright light on the inequities that exist among children of different races in Mountain View schools.

I was going to run because in a school district that has over 60 percent students of color, there needs to be, at the very least, one minority on its board. Yet as a young new schoolteacher, I realize my responsibilities to be a role model for my students 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. must come first, so I cannot run.

I urge our community to encourage our youth to stand up and to inspire their peers to stand with them. I urge our community to evaluate candidates not by their age, but by their convictions. Conviction means someone will say what they do and do what they say. I was at last week's Democratic National Convention, and I met hundreds of young people who had that very conviction. Don't we wish all our politicians had that?

Chris Chiang
Bush Street

No low-income tax break for auto donation

Editor:

An unfortunate thing happened to me and I am writing you with hope that it won't happen to any other readers.

I am legally disabled and live on a small government check and a smaller check from a part-time job.

I had finally saved enough money to buy a reliable used car. My older car was worth $700. The company I work for does not take out taxes so I pay my taxes in full at the start of the year. I saw a lot of ads that asked people to donate their car for a tax break. This seemed like a good plan so that's what I did.

At the start of the next year when I went to file my taxes, the preparer said my car was not a deduction because my income was too low. I told him nobody mentioned my income when I literally gave away my car.

The preparer said I should have just sold my car but it was too late now. I wrote the IRS. They wrote me back saying this happens to many people.

I think people should be aware ahead of time as to whether or not they are eligible for tax deduction when they donate their car. A low-income disabled person really can't afford to lose $700!

Susan Christensen
Boranda Avenue

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