Health tax called sure loser -- Ballot-box strategy would fail, says Assembly GOP head.

Sacramento Bee ^ | 9/5/7 | Aurelio Rojas and Jim Sanders

[SmithL]

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez would be courting defeat at the ballot box by bypassing Republicans with a measure to increase taxes to provide health care for uninsured Californians, Assembly Republican leader Mike Villines said Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Times reported Saturday the Republican governor and Democratic speaker are fashioning a strategy to raise business and hospital taxes through a ballot measure and circumventing Republican lawmakers who oppose any new taxes.

Under the scenario outlined by the newspaper, the Democrats who control the Legislature would pass a bill that doesn't include funding for health care and ask voters to raise taxes.

But Villines predicted voters would defeat such a measure. The governor, he said, also would be reversing himself by not including Republicans in the process.

"The governor has been very clear about saying he wants Republicans there," Villines said. "That does rule out taxes, we understand that. But I think there's still things we can support."

Sabrina Lockhart, a spokeswoman for the governor, said "the governor is still committed to getting bipartisan votes, but a ballot measure is an option."

In an interview with The Bee, Núñez said, "We're a long way away from any type of agreement." But he added, "I will not go to the voters with a proposal in lieu of a legislative solution."

The speaker said Assembly Bill 8, which he put together with Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, would provide 75 percent of the money to cover the 6.7 million Californians without health insurance. Núñez said a possible ballot measure could provide the remaining 25 percent.

Schwarzenegger has said he will veto AB 8 because it would place the economic burden on employers. The governor believes costs should be shared by employers, employees, insurers and government.

[mewzilla]

The governor believes costs should be shared by employers, employees, insurers and government.

I'll use the word he was too gutless to use: taxpayers.

[sheana]

Isn’t ‘shared responsibility’ one of Hillary’s fave words?
I can’t tell any difference when the (so-called) Republicans and the Democrats speak anymore.

[mewzilla]

‘Rats. RINOs. No diff :(

[Hoffer Rand]

Exactly. Because a large percentage of “Californians” without health insurance are illegals and being paid off the books. How precisely do we make their employers contribute?

[goldstategop]

How can we make every one contribute? I don't see how they can come up with a funding mechanism acceptable to all concerned in the time they have left this month. It would be better to start over next year after the budget picture becomes more clear than to pass a half-baked scheme would do havoc to the state's finances. And oh - no Austrosocialism, please.

"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