Letters to the Editor: February 7, 2021

Exempt unemployment benefits from taxes

Income taxes are, of course, based on income. Many people, however, do not realize that unemployment benefits are subject to state and federal income taxes. Most individuals in Hawaii who received unemployment benefits in 2020 have already gotten a notice in the mail from the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations stating the amount of unemployment compensation they received during 2020. Surprise, if you collected unemployment during 2020 you have a tax liability.

It doesn’t seem right, of course, that those who are struggling the most will now be hit with an unexpected tax bill. If the affected individuals are allowed to keep this money instead of returning a portion to the government, it will act as stimulus to the economy. Additionally, nearly all of the unemployed have already spent the money. Our government is again attempting to burden those who can least afford it to fill a revenue gap.

If any member of the state Legislature is reading this, I suggest you introduce a bill exempting all or part of the unemployment compensation individuals received during the 2020 tax year from state income taxes.

John Totten

Kailua-Kona

American climate change

Americans are less than 5% of the world’s population, yet consume nearly 20% of the world’s energy. While statistics like that used to be seen as congratulatory news, it may now be disastrous because energy consumption has led to massive C02 emissions. Theoretically, human-caused CO2 emissions driving climate change could be the biggest threat to life on this planet. While China produces the most C02 in the world, per person, the U.S. citizen contributes to climate change much more than almost anyone else in the world. Why? We consume much more. Simply put, it takes energy to make, package and transport the tons of stuff Americans buy. We’ve become a culture of consumption (the more you consume, the more success you think you have). So we could risk our children’s lives on the shaky hope that renewable energy technology will save us or we could become responsible world citizens.

Leighton Loo

Mililani, Oahu

Letters policy

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