Posted on 10/04/2018 8:20:15 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Gas-tax repeal backers ought to highlight the reason for California’s wretched infrastructure: the outsized power of the state’s public-employee unions.
California conservatives thought they were riding the cusp of a populist wave when they qualified Proposition 6 for the November ballot. If passed, that statewide initiative would repeal the Democrats’ cynical and unnecessary increase in gas taxes and vehicle-license fees. As I argued last week, the governor and his allies always shortchange infrastructure funding as they spend wildly on new social programs, then issue an ultimatum to the state’s taxpayers: Raise taxes on yourself yet again or we won’t fix all those giant potholes.
Anger at the tax seemed to be brewing. Republicans successfully recalled a freshman Democratic senator in an Orange County district precisely because he was a deciding vote for the gas tax hike — the first part of the “gazelle strategy” of building some GOP momentum by picking off vulnerable lawmakers. Some Democrats in close races embraced repeal and we had all the makings of a revolt. It was never likely to rival the Proposition 13 tax revolt of 1978 as some conservatives claimed, but it had the makings of something meaningful.
But the latest polling results throw water on such optimism. A Public Policy Institute of California poll found 52 percent of likely voters against the Prop. 6 repeal and only 39 percent in favor of the measure (perhaps due to the ballot language and a lack of funding). An earlier poll had similar results. Perhaps this explains why California Republican leaders have been unusually quiet about the initiative as they focus on other things (saving vulnerable GOP members of Congress). But there might be a way for tax-repeal advocates to salvage their campaign, provided they are willing to adjust their messaging.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
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Repeal should be a no-brainer but alas...no brains.
Apparently our forest fires can be blamed on environmentalists policies about cutting trees or something.
Likewise. Bookmark. Pray 4 California.
Amen!
Why pay for infrastructure, or any other program for that matter, when you can pad your compensation package?
About 5 years ago I started a road trip at Las Vegas to Bakersfield and ending in Phoenix.
What I observed 5 years ago was the deteriorated roads in California compared to Nevada and Arizona. I also noted the significant amount of trash alongside the California highways.
California’s infrastructure is like what one would find in a third world country.
The Democrats spend the taxpayer money on social programs and bloated employee salary and benefits.
Thus, I am not surprised to read that California’s infrastructure has not improved in the past 5 years.
And when their pension fund goes bankrupt in a few years guess where they’ll go looking for a bail out.
The unfunded Cal-Pers. pension is in the billions of dollars...
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