Posted on 01/25/2008 3:32:17 PM PST by george76
The campaign for a $243-million telephone users tax on the Feb. 5 ballot has amassed nearly $2.6 million, almost three-fourths of it from labor unions...
Unions provided nearly $1.9 million to the Proposition S campaign, which is seeking to preserve a tax on cellular and land line calls that has been challenged repeatedly in court.
The size of the donations appalled foes of the tax, who said that city employee unions were rewarding politicians for giving them raises -- and ensuring that more will be granted in the future.
"This is the economics of special interests," said Walter Moore, who has been battling the measure. "You have a special interest that can make hundreds of millions of dollars by putting in $1 million or $2 million at City Hall."
Foes of Proposition S have raised only $5,100. By comparison, the backers of the tax have bought television commercials featuring Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Douglas Barry and LAPD Chief William J. Bratton...
Ten unions have written six-figure checks in an effort to preserve the tax...
The campaign received $250,000 apiece from the Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents police officers, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents clerks and secretaries, among others.
And the campaign took in $300,000 from Service Employees International Union, whose members belonged to a coalition of city employees that received a five-year package of pay increases worth $255 million from L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the City Council last month.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Such a deal.
Good for everyone but the taxpayers.
.
Pure government corruption. I know, so what is new?
This bill is to lower the tax from 10% to 9%.
I still have no clear idea.. what are the unions’ interest in this ?
What it does is establish the legality of a 9% tax since the existing 10% tax is illegal and will soon be out due to the judiciary (doing the right thing.) The way this Prop. is being sold is manipulative and underhanded. They say that a vote in favor lowers the tax from 10% to 9% when it actually ESTABLISHES the 9% tax (plus a bunch of other nuisance items as well.) As for the unions...they go where they smell the buck$. Greedy bastards — all of them!!
The unions want to stay on the gravy train.
I at least don’t pay ANY tax of any kind on my long distance. I refuse to have long distance with my local carrier who, in addition to all the extra charges now charges $2 a month for ‘standby’ whether you use long distance or not.
I get long distance with No tax, no fees, no ‘packages, no bill, just 2.99 cents per minute, 24/7 (land line) throughout the U.S, and Canada - very little more for overseas.
Been using it for years and with kids across the states to keep up with -= only spending an average of $10 per month.
http://www.goldline.net/index.asp click on iDcaller
thanks..that’s clearer than the article was.
bump
That wouldn't work for me. My mom calls me once a week. The typical call runs 90 minutes. You do the math. The unlimited handset to handset on VerizonWireless makes it possible. There are times when the $2.99/minute would be a welcome restraint.
Oh, and this only applies to Los Angeles city...not county or other municipalities (West Hollywood, Santa Monica) and so forth.
Oh but didn’t campaign finance reform fix this???
What I like about my Goldline is, I don’t have to worry about day or time - it’s 24/7
maintemance=maintenance
Canada is only 1.5 cents per minute.
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