CA: AdWatch for new television ads airing to oppose Proposition 56

Associated Press (via San Jose Mercury News) ^ | 9 February 2004 | Jim Wasserman

[CounterCounterCulture]

Title: "Tax Increases"

Script: "State law says that before the Legislature can increase taxes, they need a two-thirds vote. That's a good thing. It means they can't increase taxes as often as they'd like.

But Proposition 56 gets rid of that law. Fifty-six makes it much easier for them to increase taxes - property tax, sales tax, income, car, gas taxes. They want us to make it easier for them to increase our taxes.

[CounterCounterCulture]

[calcowgirl]

bump

[CyberAnt]

This is a great ad. Very accurate. Portrays what the 55% vote will do .. allow the democrats in the statehouse to raise taxes on EVERYTHING.

[GeronL]

Analysis: This advertisement aims to spur opposition among voters to Proposition 56 on the March 2 ballot.

wow. The writer is a genius.

[j.havenfarm]

Lord, I hope so. The Pro-56 ads running on radio now just about make me want to puke. But I can just imagine the brain dead electorate hearing "End gridlock," "legislators won't get paid until a budget is passed," etc. and falling for it.

[heleny]

The Legislature's dominant Democratic majority currently commands 60 percent of the Assembly and 62 percent of the Senate, meaning Democrats would not need any Republican votes to raise statewide taxes. To become law, however, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would have to sign any bills calling for higher taxes.

The article seems to imply that Gov. Schwarzenegger, if he is a fiscal conservative, can protect us from a tax-happy legislature. But, this could only last as long as he's in office (3 or 7 years).

Prop 56, however, would extend forever, and we cannot depend on a future governor to hold the line against a tax-and-spend legislature.

[heleny]

The Pro-56 ads running on radio now just about make me want to puke. But I can just imagine the brain dead electorate hearing "End gridlock," "legislators won't get paid until a budget is passed," etc. and falling for it.

Not just the radio, but on TV, too. The ads run very frequently on both.

They mention the 55% very quickly, but they don't mention the current 2/3 requirement.

Under the current laws, the Controller can suspend payments above minimum wage to all state government workers when the budget isn't passed. That should include not paying the legislators their high salaries, but the controller has not carried out this duty (although it was threatened last year).

Besides, even if the Controller cut the government workers' salaries when the budget is late, the budget can simply include a line for reimbursement of the difference.

[Uncle Hal]

Its about time the No. on 56 people are starting to air ads. Here in the Bay Area the Yes on 56 supporters have running ads for the last week or so. The ads are truly noxious.