Schwarzenegger says raising taxes may be unavoidable

OC Register ^ | 3/31/04 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO (AP) -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger hinted that raising taxes may be unavoidable, acknowledging he is under extreme pressure to increase the state's revenue to offset a $14 billion budget shortfall.

Schwarzenegger, who has opposed new taxes, said on Tuesday it would be "wishful thinking" to assume the state would not increase taxes.

"I'm going through wishful thinking that I'll never have to go there," Schwarzenegger said. "Because I just don't like it. I try to work around and find ways so we don't have to do that. So that's the stage I'm in right now."

He said increasing taxes would punish ordinary Californians for the state's mistake of overspending.

Though Schwarzenegger didn't rule out a tax hike, he said he needs to further review budget forecasts in the next weeks to decide whether to raise taxes. "When I look at the numbers, I can make up my mind about what that means," he said.

Schwarzenegger's communications director, Rob Stutzman, said the governor was not changing his opposition on taxes but "expressing his optimism for a solution without taxes."

Stutzman added, "Once he is set on a direction, he's relentless, and he is set on solving the budget without tax increases."

Some lawmakers said Tuesday they have not been notified the governor intends to raise taxes, nor did they suspect he was sending out feelers to gauge reactions.

"We've never had that discussion," said Assembly Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from Bakersfield.

[NormsRevenge]

.

[Pukin Dog]

a lot of difference between 'says' and 'hinted'.

[goldstategop]

He said increasing taxes would punish ordinary Californians for the state's mistake of overspending.

Schwarzenegger's communications director, Rob Stutzman, said the governor was not changing his opposition on taxes but "expressing his optimism for a solution without taxes."

Stutzman added, "Once he is set on a direction, he's relentless, and he is set on solving the budget without tax increases."

The first line is the key. Arnold still thinks we spend too much. And we need to solve the budget situation without tax increases. We do not need a repeat of Pete Wilson muscling Republicans into voting for something that is a disaster for our state's economy and our future.

[cinFLA]

"Schwarzenegger says raising taxes may be unavoidable (Suhprize Suhprize!)"

Suhprize Suhprize! Schwarzenegger said no such thing!

[cinFLA]

What he really said (Not the dramatic headline)

"I'm going through wishful thinking that I'll never have to go there," Schwarzenegger said. "Because I just don't like it. I try to work around and find ways so we don't have to do that. So that's the stage I'm in right now."

He said increasing taxes would punish ordinary Californians for the state's mistake of overspending.

[tallhappy]

Doesn't matter. He could quadruple taxes and the same people here would still defend everything he does.

[jjm2111]

how 'bout cutting spending?

[Pikamax]

Here is how Arnold can get spending cuts, raises taxes on things the liberals hold dear and you will see spending cuts, remember what happened in Seattle when the coffee tax was proposed? Libs were up in arms and killed it.

[goldstategop]

Exactly. Why should WE pay for the politicians incompetency and messing things up? In any case, I expect the GOP to hold the line on tax increases in the State Legislature.

[goldstategop]

Arnold may be a RINO on a lot of things but a good deal of his across the board popularity is due to his resisting tax increases. He should take a look at Bob Riley who took the easy way out in Alabama and less than a year later, he's a dead duck one term Governor.

[cinFLA]

The dems got blown out of the water on Prop 56? that would have allowed a new budget on 55% vote instead of the now required 75%. A major blow to the Sacramento Bee paper which was pushing it very hard.

[goldstategop]

Actually it was two-thirds. The Sacramento Bee pushed hard for it and it went down in flames in every county in the state except in San Francisco. More tax increases are being planned to fund various liberal pet projects that will come onto the November ballot. I don't think voters will be receptive to them and whatever people may say about this being a liberal state on social issues, people here are conservative when it comes to their own pocketbooks. I don't think the politicians have absorbed the message yet.

[cinFLA]

Arnold may be a RINO on a lot of things but a good deal of his across the board popularity is due to his resisting tax increases. One of his first acts was to repeal Davis' illegal increase on car registration fees. "Lawyers" said it would be illegal but he said that if Davis could raise them, he could reverse Davis!

Another big point that put him in was his stand on workers' comp program. Headlines today indicate he is very close to a deal. Workers' Comp is a major cost of doing business in CA. One of the problems is the large payout for 'back problems'. Rumors are that the bill may contain a provision that back problems have to be identified technically, not just on a doctor's opinion.

[stylin_geek]

Well, as someone who worked better than 20 years as a welder, I can attest to the number of people who have "back pain." I'm one of them, and always considered it to be the price one pays for doing physical labor. Yet, so many of these people who have "back pain" think they should go home after working all day, and feel like they just left the office.

[Incorrigible]

[cinFLA]

Here is how Arnold can get spending cuts, raises taxes on things the liberals hold dear and you will see spending cuts, remember what happened in Seattle when the coffee tax was proposed? Libs were up in arms and killed it.

$4.50 for $0.50 worth of goods and they can't afford to pay an extra $0.25 or so to help with the city's problems?

[KellyAdmirer]

The man doesn't want to raise taxes. He says he wants to do everything in his power to avoid it. Wow, what a flaming liberal! You McClintock boys were so right, he's worse than Ted Kennedy!

Why not wait until the facts are in and not punish the man in advance for simply openly considering the worst-case scenario, as any capable person in charge should do?

[B Knotts]

Here's a very radical solution that apparently the governor has not heard of before: CUT SPENDING.

Some of us saw this coming a long time ago, though.

[KellyAdmirer]

I don't think it is the Governor who has never heard of it. You see, in California, there is this thing called the legislature, and it is dominated by liberals who don't want to cut a dime.