Ernest T. Grump will vote no on Measure Q next Tuesday. It's a Richmond measure to raise sales tax by a half percent. But today he's counting the bits of candy he'll hand out tonight.

There's no need to be generous to these little moochers, he says. Why, the same kids come to his doorstep year after year.

They all look well fed. Not only that, they walk on sidewalks that Ernest paid for in taxes. They attend his schools too, ride on his AC Transit buses, and breathe the air kept clean by Ernest's occasional protests to Chevron.

Once last year, Ernest had to pay a fee at City Hall. To his horror, he saw vast numbers of clerks and others of unknown function doing nothing! They sat in front of monitors, now and then looking up. Ernest resents waiting a moment for one to notice him.

He portions out the candy and can't help think about Measure Q. "More taxes!," he curses, pronouncing the X with particular relish. Today the candy cost him $2.06 in sales tax. With the extra half percent under Measure Q, the same bag would cost him an extra 13¢. Last night's dinner out with his wife would have cost 30¢ more. The new car he bought last summer would have cost him $167.98 more.

At about 9 o'clock, the stream of kids subsides, but inevitably there's a late bunch. "Doesn't it ever end?" he'll say as he answers yet another ring on the doorbell.

Someday it'll end for Ernest. In the meantime, he'll just have to pay his bills as they come up.

Yes on Measure Q.