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Tom McClintock email re: Vehicle TaX Increase and State Budget Ploys
Tom McClintock ^ | 5/15/03 | Tom McClintock

Posted on 05/15/2003 8:11:13 PM PDT by NormsRevenge

I'm posting this for a friend who has been called away due to the sudden death of a close friend and neighbor.


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; US: California
KEYWORDS: calgov2002; tommcclintock
Thank you again for signing up to help gather signatures to abolish the car tax. I want to bring you up to date on where we stand.

On Wednesday, Gov. Davis released his revision of the state budget. It is predicated on Controller Steve Westly ordering a tripling of the car tax sometime before July 1st.

This is clearly illegal. Under the law, the car tax can only increase on a monthly basis if the state actually runs out of money during that month—something that has never happened in the history of this state. Davis and Westly maintain that they can increase the tax any time the state's borrowing exceeds its available cash—which means the car tax would never have been reduced since the general fund is in this condition much of the year even in the best of times.

Unfortunately, this would not be the first time an illegal tax has been imposed on Californians. In 1990, a $300 tax was imposed on every car brought into the state in direct violation of both the state and federal constitutions. They collected that tax for ten years before the courts told them to knock it off. Davis and Westly are undoubtedly counting on a similar scenario.

So far, this is still just a threat—Westly has not yet actually attempted to raise the tax. I have made it very clear that the moment he gives the order to do so, I will file an initiative to abolish the tax completely.

Actually, I will file two initiatives. One is a simple, one page statutory initiative that will set the car tax at $1 for all time. It will require 373,702 signatures and can be circulated over the Internet. The other is a more comprehensive measure in the form of a constitutional initiative that will abolish the tax outright and make it impossible for any new "fees" to be added in the future. It will require 597,923 signatures and will have to be distributed by mail.

This will start a 25-day clock while the initiatives are cleared to circulate. During that time, we will assess what resources are available and make a decision on which measure to move forward with. We will then have 150 days to collect the necessary number of signatures. We hope to qualify the measure in time to place it on the ballot for the November 2, 2004 election. If adopted in that election, it will take effect immediately.

I will keep in touch as events unfold. Again, thank you for your help.

Best wishes,

Tom McClintock

1 posted on 05/15/2003 8:11:13 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach; kellynla
Ping
2 posted on 05/15/2003 8:13:49 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi .. Support FRee Republic)
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To: NormsRevenge
bttt
3 posted on 05/15/2003 8:16:49 PM PDT by w_over_w (It slices . . . it dices . . . it makes mounds of coleslaw! Batteries not included.)
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To: NormsRevenge; *calgov2002; snopercod; Grampa Dave; Carry_Okie; SierraWasp; Gophack; RonDog; ...
OK!

Pings going out!

calgov2002:

calgov2002: for old calgov2002 articles. 

calgov2002: for new calgov2002 articles. 

Other Bump Lists at: Free Republic Bump List Register



4 posted on 05/15/2003 8:17:19 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Recall Gray Davis and then start on the other Democrats)
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To: NormsRevenge
The Democrats could care less about the rule of law so long as they can keep on spending like there's no tomorrow. Hence Gray Davis' illegal hike in the state's car tax. The sticker shock will show up when people need to renew their auto registration for the 2005 vehicle year.
5 posted on 05/15/2003 8:17:54 PM PDT by goldstategop ( In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: NormsRevenge
Wooohooo!!!

$1 per year car tax! Thats at least $150 back into my pocket... to pay for the stupid California blend of gasoline that was mandated by state politicians who do not have a degree in chemistry or chemical engineering.

6 posted on 05/15/2003 8:47:01 PM PDT by Frohickey
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To: NormsRevenge
The internet is the greatest equalizer since the catapult...
7 posted on 05/15/2003 9:31:36 PM PDT by tubebender (.)
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To: NormsRevenge
I'm a big McClintock supporter, but I wonder why he doesn't go into court and ask for an injunction to halt the tax increase while the the case is set for a court hearing and the issue is being placed on the ballot? We will be hit with a tax increase that for people with two decent vehicles will be about $600 a year. The Dems keep claiming the average increase is about $136, but that counting all the old wrecks driven by our illegals.
8 posted on 05/15/2003 9:44:47 PM PDT by CdMGuy
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To: NormsRevenge
One more thing. If we can recall Davis, we can recall Westley too. Just another lying POS Dem who hid behind a load of BS when running for office.
9 posted on 05/15/2003 9:46:36 PM PDT by CdMGuy
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To: CdMGuy
As long as you don't buy a fancy SUV or a big luxury car, yeah, it's modest increase, but if you recently bought one of those, watch out. Anyways, the entire car tax sucks...
10 posted on 05/15/2003 9:50:54 PM PDT by goldstategop ( In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop
ping
11 posted on 05/15/2003 10:28:50 PM PDT by merry10
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To: goldstategop
As long as you don't buy a fancy SUV or a big luxury car, yeah, it's modest increase

Tripling is modest? (if the VLF increases from 2/3% to 2% of vehicle value)

Those grandma (low mileage) drivers might have to spend more on VLF than on gas.

12 posted on 05/16/2003 3:57:25 AM PDT by heleny
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To: NormsRevenge
One is a simple, one page statutory initiative that will set the car tax at $1 for all time. It will require 373,702 signatures and can be circulated over the Internet. The other is a more comprehensive measure in the form of a constitutional initiative that will abolish the tax outright and make it impossible for any new "fees" to be added in the future. It will require 597,923 signatures and will have to be distributed by mail.

I didn't know petitions could be circulated over the internet. Is this something new? Or, does he mean that the petitions can be printed from the web, like the Recall Gray Davis petitions?

13 posted on 05/16/2003 4:01:42 AM PDT by heleny
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To: heleny
That's what I believe is correct; ie, petitions can be downloaded and then signatures gathered, not actually signed and circulated directly via the internet. We are a ways away from reliable secure technology to do that, but someday, who knows.
14 posted on 05/16/2003 7:08:37 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi .. Support FRee Republic)
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To: NormsRevenge
Actually, I will file two initiatives. One is a simple, one page statutory initiative that will set the car tax at $1 for all time. It will require 373,702 signatures and can be circulated over the Internet. The other is a more comprehensive measure in the form of a constitutional initiative that will abolish the tax outright and make it impossible for any new "fees" to be added in the future. It will require 597,923 signatures and will have to be distributed by mail.

I was just reading this from my email this morning. I will be ready and waiting to sign these petitions from the internet. Those don't sound like too many signatures what so ever.

15 posted on 05/16/2003 8:24:31 AM PDT by PeoplesRep_of_LA (Press Secret; Of 2 million Shiite pilgrims, only 3000 chanted anti Americanisms--source-Islamonline!)
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To: NormsRevenge
That's what I believe is correct; ie, petitions can be downloaded and then signatures gathered, not actually signed and circulated directly via the internet.

If that is the case for the statutory initiative (for $1 VLF), then I wonder why the petition for the constitutional initiative (elimination of VLF) couldn't be available online, too. Anyway, thanks for posting this!

One is a simple, one page statutory initiative that will set the car tax at $1 for all time. It will require 373,702 signatures and can be circulated over the Internet. The other is a more comprehensive measure in the form of a constitutional initiative that will abolish the tax outright and make it impossible for any new "fees" to be added in the future. It will require 597,923 signatures and will have to be distributed by mail.

16 posted on 05/16/2003 7:17:50 PM PDT by heleny
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