Letters to the Editor 

JOHNSTON RESPONDS. . .

There is some lint I could pick [about Kevin Kelley’s April 29 story, “A Pulitzer Prize Winner Talks Taxes, Journalism and Social Responsibility in Advance of a Burlington Appearance”], but instead just one key mishearing by the reporter — that higher tax burden compares someone making $26,000 and someone making $266 million (not $260,000, as stated in the article), the very large figure being the average income of the top 400 taxpayers in 2006. The person at the top pays just 17.2 percent of their income in federal income and payroll taxes, while the low-wage worker pays 21.9 percent, official government data show.

And I thought I said being a homicide detective would have been “noble,” and if not I should have.

David Cay Johnston

ROCHESTER, NY

FIFTY-FOUR DOLLAR MAN

Thanks to Shay Totten for spelling out some significant salaries and perks enjoyed by Curmudgeon Douglas who is working hard to cut out state workers’ jobs [“Fair Game,” April 15]. It’s hard to imagine how $54 a day for meals is justified in reality.

First time, I think, I have seen in the media that some jobs are federally funded. So why make people jobless if some of their wages are paid by the federal government? One example: USDA meat inspectors.

Think of what being out of a job really means personally. I don’t think Douglas has thought that out at all. Perhaps it’s never happened to him.

Perhaps it will in time.

Lea Wood

MONTPELIER

WINNING STRATEGY

We received votes from Borneo, Japan and Greece [to win the “What I Did for Money” contest, April 1]. It really was a ton of fun. We have these really funny messages on our phone starting with, “I’m in Burlington, reading Seven Days...” Some old friends remembered when we were “weekend towers” and wrote us some very funny emails. So thanks for the mud season diversion; it was a blast.

Joanne Esau

LUDLOW

DON’T-MISS MALTEX

As part of the team that manages the Maltex Building on Pine Steet, I was happy to see its current exhibit prominently featured in your arts section [“Hall Monitoring,” April 29]. Happier still that Lynn Rupe’s “Expect Delays — Rhinos” was pictured; her “Expect Delays” series is fantastic! Mr. Awodey was incorrect, though, when he stated that the Maltex is no longer a South End Art Hop site and is solely curated by Burlington City Arts. The BCA Art Sales and Leasing Program does an outstanding job for us, but I want to make clear that the Maltex is still a devoted supporter of SEABA and proud to display four floors’ worth of exciting Art Hop selections for several weeks each fall. The historic Maltex Building is still a not-to-be-missed spot on the Hop. See you in September!

Tracey Schoonmaker

NORTH FERRISBURGH

Schoonmaker is a property management administrator for Pomerleau Real Estate.

WORLD’S SEXIEST MOVIE

I think the sex scene with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo in The Thomas Crown Affair was red hot [“Seven Days Sex Survey,” February 25]. The chemistry was right between them for the entire film. I do think that they may have used body doubles for the actual sex on the staircase scene.

Sandy Beeches

BURLINGTON