Article Last Updated: Friday, January 10, 2003 - 10:34:50 PM MST
Public unfazed by hikes
Katrina Darrett grew up in Oregon, where she could buy merchandise free of sales taxes. Still, the 30-year-old stay-at-home mother from Pacoima said she isn't too bothered by the prospect of paying 9.25 percent in sales tax to help bring revenue to California's beleaguered budget.
"It's pretty steep, but if it's going to help with the deficit, I don't think it's going to push us off a cliff," she said Friday while shopping at the Panorama City Wal-Mart.
Los Angeles County shoppers face sales taxes of 9.25 percent, up 1 percent, under a proposal unveiled by Gov. Gray Davis on Friday to help cover the state's projected $35 billion deficit. Davis also proposed a $1.10 per-pack tax increase on cigarettes and higher income taxes on top wage earners.
Several people interviewed Friday in the San Fernando Valley said they were willing to swallow the bitter pill of higher taxes to maintain spending for schools, police, roads and other purposes. But others said the state, not taxpayers, should have to sacrifice.
"Gov. Davis increased the size of government 40 percent in his first term," said Ron Hayes of Calabasas, sipping a cup of coffee at The Commons in Calabasas. "I think we need a top-to-bottom review of state government to cut any wasteful programs and expenditures. Higher sales taxes will just make it worse because it will only result in lower revenue to the state."
At Cigarettes Cheaper in Reseda, reaction was predictably against the tobacco tax increase. Several smokers said the state is too eager to tax them, and that they're already shouldering the cost of settlements in lawsuits against cigarette manufacturers.
Jake Mastran of Granada Hills said the higher taxes are pushing smokers toward cheaper foreign-made cigarettes, siphoning revenue from American tobacco companies.
"The bottom line is that the smoker is going to get his smoke," Mastran said. "We've already switched from name-brand cigarettes to generics. Now I'm smoking foreign cigarettes from Turkey and other countries for $2 a pack instead of American cigarettes for $4 a pack."
Roya Hashemi of Tarzana said she'd pay more for cigarettes if the money is earmarked toward education and other worthy programs.
"It's not good, but I support it," she said. "It's not going to break my back."
Francisco Esparza, a construction worker from Sylmar, said that while his income is limited, he'd rather pay more in taxes than witness a decline in services, especially police. Esparza said he travels regularly to Tecate, Mexico, to visit his 5-month-old son and immediately notices the higher quality of services and infrastructure in the United States.
"I'm on my way to Mexico right now, and I can see the difference between the city I'm going to and the city I'm living in," he said. "I don't mind paying the higher taxes, but I don't know what they're going to do with that extra penny (of sales tax)."
West Hills dentist Richard Sagerman said he isn't pleased by the prospect of higher incomes taxes but can stomach increases in sales and tobacco taxes.
"I would be in favor of an increase in sales tax because I can control my spending within reason," he said. "I would be in favor of more luxury taxes and the tobacco tax is great because I don't smoke."
Jon Yenney, a middle-school teacher from Northridge, said he would rather the state increase sales taxes than cut money from the education budget.
"As far as sales taxes, I don't see that as that big of a deal," he said. "I think education is one area the governor shouldn't be messing around with."
