Groups push for tax increases : California

The Fresno Bee ^ | Saturday, March, 16, 2002 | John Hill

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

SACRAMENTO -- With the state's budget shortfall growing, groups whose programs are likely to face a new round of cuts this spring have launched an effort to get lawmakers to consider politically risky tax increases.

The push is bringing together public employee unions, which have an obvious interest in avoiding drastic cuts, as well as groups that don't normally get involved in tax issues, from churches to advocates for the elderly.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

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[snopercod]

A tax increase in Kali is guaranteed. Nature cannot be fooled. Furthermore, the "Willy Sutton Principle" dictates that the tax increases will fall on "the rich" (e.g. business and those families earning over $60,000 per year)

As many of us predicted over a year ago, electricity will become another transfer payment in California. "From those according to ability (to pay), and to those according to need."

[John Jorsett]

It might even help their cause, some advocates say, for GOP lawmakers to start going public with proposed cuts, a move that could galvanize public opinion.

Anyone believing that a Republican is going to be the first to propose cuts is delusional. Republicans don't have to do anything more than sit back and watch the Democrats self-destruct on this issue. They're between the falling rock of tax increases and the hard place of spending cuts. It's going to be fun to watch.

[John Jorsett]

A tax increase in Kali is guaranteed.

I don't think so, at least not yet. Raising taxes in an election year is always problematical, and adding a 2/3 vote requirement sets the bar pretty high. If the Republicans just sit on their hands on this one (something California Republicans seem pretty adept at, judging by their pathetic performance), then no increase happens. And if by some chance they do manage to get a bill through to Davis, if it threatens his survival he'll throw his party over the side and veto it.

[Myrddin]

Polls show that the public, although opposed to tax increases in general, prefers raising income taxes on the wealthy to reversing the cut to the vehicle license fee or increasing the sales tax.

I'm in the "target" wealthy group that these jackasses would like to soak for more taxes. When they attacked my wallet, I responded with my feet. I suspect many more people have figured out that they can afford to leave the socialist paradise of CA for more reasonable places. Red Davis and his minions are picking some gasoline and sales taxes from me as a consequence of business trips to CA. CA isn't getting a dime of income tax from me ever again.

[cartoonistx]

I sure hope the Simon camp is practicing some "strategery" over this issue. Now is the time to be putting on the ads that say "Davis WILL raise your Taxes!" The budget problem is already thought of as Gray's fault and if we can get the voters to believe that his 'secret solution' to the short-fall is a big tax increase he will be toast by October.

[glockmeister40]

The push is bringing together public employee unions

What did you expect from the hogs at the trough of tax dollars?

I think a tax increase would be good for california - it may incur the wrath of so many voters in the fall elections that a republican gets elected governor.

[goodnesswins]

YEAH....right....let's TAX ourselves to PROSPERITY!!!! Hey...same thing is happening up here in Washington, the State. And I agree with another poster - the feet will be voting and the influx of people we've had will dwindle and reverse.

[07055]

Tennessee has a similar problem---not enough money to fund all of the wonderful programs our state provides.

Maybe California needs to consider the same remedy the Tennessee newspapers have been telling us will solve all of our problems:

Enact a state personal income tax.

Oh, wait, you say they already have a personal income tax in California?

Now I am really confused--it must be the Republicans' fault.

[LarryLied]

Red Davis and his minions are picking some gasoline and sales taxes from me as a consequence of business trips to CA

Consider yourself lucky. I got hit with registering my car in CA after being there just three weeks on business. $400. Told them I was going back to AZ in a week and I was informed if I did not get CA plates, they would put a warrant out for my arrest and, if they could find it, seize and sell my truck. What made it even worse is they did seize my AZ plates and I had to get new ones (CA DMV wrote and told me that was a mistake but nothing could now be done about it). I've inquired what it would take to do a street fair or other show in California with out of state plates. They told me I could buy a limited permit (a week or so) for $45 to use their highways.

This was in 1992. Perhaps the laws have changed. For the worse I would imagine.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Payback for the Davis inspired California Power Crisis!

[Grampa Dave]

We have had an increase in our sales taxes, which the maggot ridden media has avoided telling us and the dumbed down Kalis can't figure out.

Our sales tax increased .25% on 1 January!

Find an old receipt from 2001 and then compare the rate now (make sure you are comparing the same counties). The increase was at least .25%.

Our sales tax on our Gasoline that was supposed to spent on roads and transportation has been used to pay salaries of the semi working welfare rats (state, county, city workers) and the benefits for the new illegal aliens for years. As a result our roads in spite of high taxes are at the bottom re repair and safety of roads.

We just passed a prop to insure that the gasoline sales tax would be used on roads. The same dark side maggots who depend on our tax $'s for their life styles are supporting these new taxes were against using gasoline sales tax for what it was intended roads and transportation!

Someone recently posted that Davis has cost the state millions of $'s to pay for all of his new hires, who try to make him look good!

Socialism, fascism, communism and enviralism need our tax $ to enable their voting cults to live their dark side choice of life. They will not allow tax cuts unless we force them on them! They work 24/7 figuring out ways to increase our taxes or have hidden taxes called fees or permits! They will never get enough to handle their masses!

[jrp]

Did someone snitch on you?

When I first moved to CA, I kept my
car registered in TX for two years.
Never got caught and never did pay
the outrageous $300 smog fee (later ruled
unconstitutional) or the $250
more in annual tag fees they wanted.
Texas was more'n happy to mail
my renewal notice to me in CA.

This whole budget fiasco was so predictable when
Dimbulb and the Dumocrats embarked on their
wild 3 year spending spree.

[JustTheTruth]

Without an "Economic Bill of Rights" being incorporated into the U.S. Constitution at some point to limit the fractions of income and wealth that Federal, State and Local governments can confiscate through populist taxation, the United States may slide down the socialist path and associated economic decline that England followed. At one point, pre-Thatcher, they had total marginal tax rates of over 90 percent on the top income groups. It nearly permanently destroyed their investment base, and they still haven't recovered as an economic power even though tax rates have been significantly reduced since then.

[BluesDuke]

Republicans don't have to do anything more than sit back and watch the Democrats self-destruct on this issue.

Now, if only they would just sit back and watch them self-destruct.

[p. henry]

Unfortunately, family and career keep me in SoCal. However, in about nine years, the 401(k) will kick in and the kids will be gone. At that point Sacramento will not see another dime.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Sounds like a good idea to me!

At $60,000 the state workers are part of the designated wealthy class!

[Carry_Okie]

A lot more can be done than that. Republicans should show how many functions of State government can be privatized, delivering a better product for less. Most regulatory functions, licensing bureaus, environmental regulation, etc. can justify their budgets only if they are failing. Consider public schools in that regard. Such departments could be dispensed with in favor of private verification and insurance deregulation. Simon has the perfect opportunity to make that case.