Posted on 01/10/2007 10:13:59 AM PST by kellynla
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has unveiled his long-awaited universal healthcare plan. A centerpiece of that plan is a new 4% payroll tax on any business with 10 or more employees, as well as a 4% tax on hospitals and a 2% tax on doctors. This represents a clear and direct violation of the governor’s campaign pledge not to raise taxes.
Schwarzenegger’s staff is trying mightily to spin it otherwise, calling his tax hike ideas “fees” not taxes. This should be opposed for two reasons: the governor’s own claims during his campaign against Phil Angelides, and the California constitution’s protection against the Legislature raising taxes without a two-thirds vote of approval.
During Schwarzenegger’s re-election effort, he rightly lambasted Angelides for wanting to increase taxes. In a Los Angeles Times article dated Oct. 19, 2006, columnist George Skelton wrote that $7 billion of the $18 billion in claimed tax hikes hung around Angelides’ neck by Schwarzenegger were, in fact, employer mandates to provide health insurance. Angelides tried to deny it. And Skelton’s comments were echoed by numerous political writers and editorialists. All to no avail. Schwarzenegger called it a “tax” so it was a “tax.”
Now that Schwarzenegger is proposing an even larger plan than Angelides did to fund his universal health care plan, “taxes” have magically transformed themselves into “fees.” (I wonder if voodoo verbiage services will be covered under ArnoldCare?)
The other reason the difference between a “tax” and a “fee” matters has to do with the required vote thresholds in the Legislature. Tax increases need a two-thirds vote for approval, fees, only a simple majority. If the Schwarzenegger administration rams a majority vote “fee” increase through the Legislature with the help of Democrats, look for the Republicans to sue all the way to the state Supreme Court to protect taxpayer rights as well as the constitutionally protected right of the legislative minority to block all but the most widely agreed upon tax increases.
It stands to be a very interesting year in Sacramento.
ping
OK I don't follow CA politics...... what has happened to Arnold?
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
It is to laugh . . . . . . to think that a politician - ANY politician - will adhere to his/her campaign promises.
I think Arnold started out sincerely trying to get the state's spending under control - and promptly had his head handed to him. Turns out that the voters didn't want spending on THEIR favorite pork scheme just, just everyone else's favorite pork scheme.
CA: Governor's Health Care Reforms Do Not Include A Tax Increase (The Gubs view)
Pretty quiet on these threads ain't it? LOL
Sorry I asked.
Conan, What is best in life?
To tax your citizens, see them driven before you and to hear the lamentation of thier women!
B-B-But I thought he was a "fiscal conservative" and "libertarian". Remember this everytime you hear a FReeper trashing social conservatives and demanding that we support the party RINO because he is "viable".
LOL
no problemo...
not to mention he's sleeping with a 'Rat.
so from his record we know who wears the pants at his house.
Kaleefornians - Stupid gets as stupid votes.
But - Arnold's a Republican, and he can get elected!
Sheesh.
Interesting in a Chinese sense, it seems...
Of course, Arnie is using the semantic ruse of "fees" vs. "taxes" primarily to skirt the Republicans ability to deep-six a tax increase. Fees don't require a 2/3 majority, taxes do.
Interesting year, yup, that about sums it up.
Yeah, well don't blame me. I voted for McClintock and in Nov. voted for the libertarian candidate. Seems like all my conservative votes the last few years have gone for nought. And what's up with that? With all the conservative talk radio, FNC, many conservative publications etc. we keep losing. The Rats are taking over every where. Not just California but everywhere. Short of a full fledged revolution, I am at a loss. I am one frustrated MFer
LOL - then you must have copied my ballot. I think it was dreadful that neither McClintock nor Poochigian were elected. The problem is, and I don't know how to say this delicately or diplomatically, is that the stupid people outnumber those with reasonable intelligence, but their votes count the same. There is no other possible explanation.
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