Port problems.

We read John McLaurin's "Container Tax Is the Wrong Way to Fund Infrastructure" (July 31) as we continue to watch asthma rates rise in port communities.

Mr. McLaurin represents a mostly unregulated shipping industry that uses our publicly owned ports and reaps millions in profits while residents suffer. His cadre of lawyers knows that the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the largest fixed source of air pollution in the South Coast region. His opinion piece conveniently omits the fact that 2,400 Californians have their lives cut short each year from this deadly pollution, according to the California Air Resources Board. Thousands more--many of them asthma victims--end up in hospital rooms each year. Outdoor air pollution is literally causing and exacerbating asthma of port communities.

He makes it clear the shipping industry doesn't want to own up to its responsibility to pay a mere $30 on a container when they enter and use our public ports.

Well, who does Mr. McLaurin expect will pay for the $200 billion health care bill (state air board stats) that will result from this pollution in the next 15 years?

The taxpayers? Sounds like he wants to ship the costs to us.

Elina Green

Project Manager

Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma