A Feb. 10 letter author laments holding her home lights on whereas she is touring, as a way to keep away from being topic to the Empty Residence Tax. In actuality the EHT doesn’t “punish vacationers” or goal adventurous retirees with darkish home windows. EHT truly encourages journey, hoping individuals will “flip off the lights, lock the entrance door and go off adventuring” after promoting or renting their trip or rental properties to individuals in want of housing. The author has no want to fret if her Santa Cruz house is her main residence as a result of it’s not topic to EHT. If she has an ADU on her property it isn’t topic to EHT both. EHT isn’t about impeding freedom or losing sources. It’s about tipping the stability sheet in favor of renting or promoting a residential property quite than holding it empty.
— Sara Bassler, Santa Cruz
The Sentinel welcomes your letters to the editor. Letters must be brief, not more than 150 phrases. We don’t settle for nameless letters. Letter-writers ought to embrace their full title in addition to a road deal with and phone quantity. We don’t publish these particulars within the newspaper, however want the knowledge for verification functions. Often, we reject letters just because we’ve had so many on the identical topic. Submit your letters on-line at www.santacruzsentinel.com/submit-letters.
