Los Angeles Ballot Measure Gets Ugly - Tax Increase Could Face Major Defeat

Things have gotten so ugly in Los Angeles County in the fight over Measure R - The Rio Hondo Tax - that today the newspapers in the region that are the sister papers of The Los Angeles Daily News re-editorialized in favor of the Measure in hopes of saving the massive tax increase and secret trash station deal.

California FReepers - keep your fingers crossed! This would be a huge blow to the recent movement to both lower the threshold for passage of school bonds that raise taxes (Measure R needs only 55%) and it has been a closely watched news story. If Measure R losses it will slow the property-tax increase movement throughout the state!! Spread the word! Tell your friends in LA County to go to www.NoOnMeasureR.com and spread the word to all friends and family members in LA!!

Neighbor, don't ever buy the argument that tax increases are irresistable and inevitable... I live in a sleepy Southern town- a "city" of about 16,000 in a county of about 60,000.

We saw our sales tax rise ( can you say, massive increase? ) from 3% to 7% recently- local "option" sales taxes. It was "for the children...." the school board drove it. And yes, if you remember something about Georgia being dead last in school systems, you are right- typical politicians, reward failure with even more money...

Last primary, the "inevitable" fourth hike was soundly defeated, stunning the local politicos...

This week, the city announced it was raising our property taxes 43%-- and on the day the city budget was to be set, so many angry citizens showed up at City Hall ( as one city commissioner noted, "we never had anyone come to a meeting before...") that they are "going back to the drawing board..."

Don't ever buy the spin that these things can't be done- it's your money, after all, these clowns work for you- you hire 'em with your vote, you pay them; they can dam' well represent you, or make way for someone who will.

We will see what we see- the election will be very "interesting," to say the least. I have never heard so many angry- I mean white-hot mad... callers to local "talkback" radio. ( I just learned that Australianism- isn't it lovely?)

A typical one was

'I heard the campaign ad of ___, and when he said "We have to fire Dr. Winter..." ( the head of the school board who "needs" all this extra tax money "for the children's sake..." ), buddy, that's all I needed to hear- he's got my vote...'

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