CA: Signatures to be gathered for business tax initiative (CTA/CCPOA co-sponsors)

San Diego Union -Tribune ^ | 3/26/05

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO – A labor-backed coalition announced a signature-gathering drive yesterday for an initiative that would increase business property taxes by an estimated $2.8 billion a year to aid schools, transportation, local public safety and senior citizen tax relief.

The drive, funded by the California Teachers Association and the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, is part of a scramble to ready measures for a possible special election this fall.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, calling this the "year of reform," has business backing for four proposals that would control state spending, create new legislative and congressional districts, change public employee pensions and switch teachers to merit pay.

Labor unions are gathering signatures for several initiatives of their own if the governor is unable to reach a compromise with the Democratic-controlled Legislature and calls an election this fall for his measures.

The backers of the initiative that would raise property taxes for businesses say homeowners are paying more than their fair share of property taxes compared with businesses.

Homes are reassessed at a higher value when they are sold. But the coalition said businesses have an unfair advantage because their property changes ownership only through the sale of company stock. Half the revenue from the increased property tax would go to schools, and the rest to senior citizen property tax relief, transportation and local public safety.

[NormsRevenge]

fyi

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Interesting how they aren't advocating raising taxes on THEMSELVES.

[libstripper]

Actually, they really are advocating raising taxes on their members. The businesses will simply pass any tax increases on to thier customers, some of whom are union members. It's just like a cigarette tax increase.

[BIGZ]

What idiots! Drive the rest of business out of California.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Actually, they really are advocating raising taxes on their members. The businesses will simply pass any tax increases on to thier customers, some of whom are union members. It's just like a cigarette tax increase.

True, but they are too stupid to actually realize that.

They think they are sticking it to the man.

[goldstategop]

Screw business and drive more jobs from California. The usual suspects here are public employee unions who need high taxes to maintain and expand their existing membership in the public bureaucracy. The taxpayers be damned.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[G-Man 1]

As has been sayed before, buissness donot pay taxes.