LETTER: All Americans pay for California’s follies

I have lived in California and Maui. Like thousands of others, I left both states because of government incompetence and misguided thinking, which drove up the cost of living. I experienced some of the heartbreak caused by the Maui wildfires. We now have the same anguish with greater devastation in California.

The people of Hawaii and California continue to elect politicians who are fiscally incompetent and void of common sense. Every taxpayer in America will pay for their failure to manage their states responsibly. Both states have neglected fire mitigation for years and both wasted billions on a failed rail system. Who foots the bill? Every hard-working U.S. taxpayer.

Americans are generous, caring people. But it is time for tough love. Those who continue to elect incompetent politicians should be held accountable. Why should hard-working taxpayers across America pay for stinking thinking?