LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Your views on issues in the news, editorials and articles in your newspaper are welcomed.

Greens fees

Plenty of golf deals to be had

Re Dec. 29 letter by Charles J. Stokes, “Don’t let greed drag down Strand”

Your reader claimed golf on the Grand Strand was only for the rich and many locals could not afford to play. It almost sounded as if there was something wrong about being wealthy or having the money to play.

The fact is, this is one of the best places in the country for locals to play golf. Just by having a N.C. or S.C. driver’s license you are offered very good local prices at most courses. That is not to mention the membership programs like passport or senior book that offer discounted prices to many courses as well as being able to include three other golfers at those prices.

Also, many groups of golf courses have a loyalty program for locals. Finding them is as easy as making a few phone calls or reading The Sun News’ sports section. Does this person live under a rock?

Wealth will always surround us, but you don’t need to be wealthy to play on the wonderful place called the Grand Strand.

Gary Kumerfield

North Myrtle Beach

Tourism

S.C. should allow gambling

Gambling should be allowed here in South Carolina. The casinos would create thousands of jobs, tax money paid to the state, a higher class of entertainment and would provide a much needed boost for the Freestyle Park and abandoned shopping area, which would be a good place for a casino, It could be reachable by S.C. 22 or S.C. 31, which could pass over U.S. 501.

People who want to gamble now go to North Carolina, Mississippi, Atlantic City, Cherokee, just to name a few. And let’s not forget the lottery, which does not provide many jobs and doesn’t pay as much money to the schools as we all at first thought it would.

Myrtle Beach is a tourist area. Instead of video poker and strip clubs we could actually have celebrity and concert entertainment right here inside a casino. Because we have the beach and so many other attractions, imagine the revenue spread over Myrtle Beach by people who like to gamble and also vacation at the same time.

We have golfing here, which isn’t really a family sport. Why not gambling?

Linda S. Collins

Little River

Break for rich

Get rid of cap on Social Security tax

Re Jan. 1 letter by Glen Geuder, “What is $1 million?”

It is apparent you are not on Social Security from your remarks. It irks me that you are asking your folks if they could get by with $30 less a month.

They worked for and contributed every penny they earned – why should they be forced to do this?

Also realize while you may be happy with taking home more money, reducing Social Security withholding now from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent will reduce any amount you can obtain in the future.

Instead, why not reduce the amount of federal tax we pay? Why can’t we solve the issue with Social Security by removing the artificial annual contribution cap of $106,800?

I am not saying to raise the percent. But someone like A-Rod making $25 million pays the same Social Security as someone making $106,800 annually, yet he pays his Medicare percentage up to his $25 million salary. Think about the all the extra money we would have in Social Security without this cap.

This has been going on for years. The baloney I got from our representative was that “subjecting higher earnings to taxes could serve as a disincentive to work, thereby harming the economy.” Give me a break!

Irwin Siegelwax

Calabash, N.C.