Free Republic

FREMONT -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Monday that taking action is more important than semantics in the debate over whether the funding for his health care reform proposal comes from new fees or new taxes. Speaking to reporters and more than 20 Silicon Valley business leaders at a conference room at a Seagate Technology office in Fremont, Schwarzenegger said, "We want success in addressing health care issues and we will solve them by moving forward." Schwarzenegger said he wants to make sure that everyone in California is insured and that a plan is approved this year. Critics say the costs...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Monday that his proposal for reforming California's health care system will not include new taxes, but he did not rule out considering legislative proposals that do. "I'm not telling you now what I would or would not consider," the governor said during a media availability at a Los Angeles hospital when he was asked whether he would approve a solution that included a tax increase.

.... As for higher gas taxes, the governor said he opposes them because they hurt the poor more than anyone. Then he suggested he might not be opposed to higher gas taxes if there was a way to levy a steeper rate on wealthy drivers. "So this is why I'm not for it, just because it's unfair the way it is done," Schwarzenegger said. "Ideally, if we had such a thing where those that have more money paid more and those that have no money paid less or nothing, if there could be such a thing. ... But we don't....