Your letters to the editor section gives islanders a chance to express their thoughts, often well founded, sometimes irrational, but usually interesting reading.

Too often, however, the letters come from mainland strangers, not part of our community, pushing some special interest.

The latest such outsider letter (Saturday, April 16, Whidbey News-Times) comes from a Carl Gipson of Seattle. Mr. Gipson asserts that, if the Washington state cigarette tax were to be increased, the sales of cigarettes in this state could drop so much that the cigarette tax revenues could decrease.

So what would be wrong with that?

Vin Sherman

Coupeville