I have lived in California and Hawaii, the latter on Maui. Like thousands of others, I left both states because of government incompetence and misguided thinking, which drove up the cost of living.

I experienced some of the heartbreak caused by the Maui wildfires. We now have the same anguish with greater devastation in California, which will cost all American taxpayers untold billions, along with a startling increase in insurance premiums. The people of Hawaii and California continue to elect politicians who are fiscally incompetent and void of common sense. Both states have neglected fire mitigation for years and both wasted unimaginable billions on rail transit systems.

Americans are generous, caring people, but it is time for tough love. The people who continue to elect incompetent politicians should be held accountable. Why should hard-working taxpayers across America continue to pay for stinking thinking?

Phil Winter

Henderson, Nev.

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