Why raise taxes when officials squander our money?

Sacramento Bee ^ | 7/22/11 | Dan Walters

[SmithL]

Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislators failed in their bid to put billions of dollars in tax extensions on the ballot, not only because they couldn't persuade a few Republicans to go along, but because Democrats' union allies feared that voters would reject the taxes.

In the aftermath, Brown and the Democrats passed a no-new-taxes budget while warning about shredding vital public services.

It's a valid debate to have, but voters' instinctive reluctance to pay more taxes is bolstered by a steady stream of incidents implying that the taxes they already pay are often wasted.

Take, for example, what occurred as California State University system trustees raised student fees due to budget cuts. Simultaneously, they approved a $400,000 salary for the new president of San Diego State University, $100,000 higher than his predecessor.

Brown publicly castigated the trustees. "At a time when the state is closing its courts, laying off public school teachers and shutting senior centers, it is not right to be raising the salaries of leaders who – of necessity – must demand sacrifice from everyone else," Brown said.

But Brown didn't utter a peep when the board that oversees a $3 billion stem cell research bond issue decided to pay its new Brown-appointed chairman – ironically – $400,000.

So much for demanding sacrifice.

[SmithL]

Birds gotta fly,

fish gotta swim, and

Rats gotta TAX!

[tennmountainman]

Hey Liberal Californian’s: Your Taxes and Out of control spending has turned your state into a Banana Republic. Decades of liberal policies have destroyed your once great state.
And u want more money to continue into the abylss?

[ken21]

jerry brown created most of the californicate’s problems

during his first two administrations.

[OldNavyVet]

Personally, I started working when I was 12, and worked continuously (even while in college on the GI Bill) until the day Bush I went back on his “No New Taxes” pledge.

My Tax bill went way down.

[deadrock]

The Left does not 'squander' money. They 'invest' it. And there can never be enough investing.

'Squander' is a right-wing conspirator word.

[esoxmagnum]

I’m not a west coaster, so I am curious, is the Sacramento Bee a left or right newspaper?

I ask because I see more and more stories coming out of California, that I don’t think I would have seen a few years ago, and wonder if folks are starting to wake up out there, or are these stories just from conservative rags?

I’ve noticed here in Illinois, that more and more conservative view points are being published in our liberal papers. Not much mind you, but it is noticeable.

[GeronL]

ALl news outlets are left these days. The WSJ “news” is even more left than most, its editorial page is kind of establishment libertarian if thats possible.

[esoxmagnum]

Yeah, but where does the Sac Bee usually fall? Are they historically a leftist rag? or are they one of those small papers that leans right or down the middle?

I’m asking because I’ve never read it, so I’m curious and trying to put the article in perspective.

[GeronL]

It’s likely to be a leftwing rag with a single “conservative” columnist

[esoxmagnum]

Gotcha. That is how our papers are. One or two token articles.

Thanks for the clarification.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

The Sac Bee is and has been for years left wing. I’m a native Californian born before WWII and am quite familiar with it.

[GeronL]

There is really no such thing as a ‘conservative paper’. If they run articles from the AP, NY Times and Wash Post then how can they be?

A few, very few, just happen to run conservative editorials and opinion columns.

[tiki]

Yes, they invest it in themselves, their close friends and their political allies to make sure they get re-elected so that they can invest more money.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***until the day Bush I went back on his “No New Taxes” ***

My worthless brother-in-law (If you know him he probably owes you money) quit work in 1981 declaring that “I’m not gonna pay taxes to Reagan!” He hasn’t hit a lick since. And he was only 35 years old at the time.

[conservativegirl]

The Bee is pretty far left, but for once they got it right.

[RightOnline]

It’s VERY left wing.....trust me.