To the Editor:

You're 83 years old, on a fixed income of out-of-state retirement and Social Security, living in Franklin. Your 2013 North Carolina state tax was $37. You get your 2014 state tax done by AARP as usual, and you are informed that you owe $227 N.C. state tax. Your income has not increased, you own no property, nothing has changed, just the tax laws.

“How is that possible?” you scream. You are retired in another state, under the new tax law passed by the legislators in their Raleigh power center, this leaves you deprived of the tax deduction you were always entitled to. That's the explanation given.

You have to pay the $227 by April 15 or you pay that plus interest. This you are also advised. It isn't going to be easy. You have rent and everything that goes with that, plus other bills. The extra $227 was not budgeted. 

You have two check periods, March and April to deduct $100 from each only from your food budget. This leaves very little for food, for prescriptions and leaves out medically prescribed supplements. You’re on a special diet due to health problems. For two months you are in serious health and financial trouble.

I had heard that families with children would no longer receive the earned income credit for each child. These are working families who can ill afford to lose these deductions.

The new tax bill adversely affects mainly working families and middle-class seniors who didn’t come to North Carolina loaded with excess cash.

I am the senior and the new tax certainly hurts me. Of course, the legislators representing this area, like Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and Rep. Roger West, R-Marble, and N.C. Gov. McCrory could care less. They just make certain their extremely wealthy constituents stay ahead of the game maintaining the tax loopholes which those less moneyed never had.

Sleep well harmful legislators. Pray constantly for God's forgiveness for the harm you do.

Selma V. Sparks

Franklin