To the editor:

A couple of points to ponder!

Regarding state employees carpooling to Topeka, one must remember that the state of Kansas and the federal government do not want you to carpool. Regardless of what one might expect regarding improvements to our environment as a result, the state enjoys too much revenue from fuel taxes. If everyone carpooled, too much revenue would be lost. If fuel taxes were restricted to only highway improvements versus the general fund, which is the intent, I would fully support the tax. Unfortunately too many games are played in Topeka, and a lot of it ends up in the general fund. In my opinion, one can judge a state/community by its roads. By the way, I do agree that our interstate system in Kansas is in excellent condition.

Second, the state of Kansas and the federal government (not to mention the trial lawyers) want you to smoke. The same reasons apply. The state and the feds are addicted to tobacco taxes as much as a smoker is to cigarettes. If smoking is so bad for us (and as an ex-smoker, I agree it is) and I were an executive of a tobacco company, together with my fellow executives I would boycott the states of Florida, California and New York, just to select a few. No more cigarettes would be distributed to those states. Then we would really see just how bad cigarettes are for us. I think, not really sure anymore, that it is still a legal product.

Gary March,

Lawrence