Free Republic

Democratic legislators attempted Thursday to take a big bite out of the state's budget deficit by passing a complex, $18 billion mélange of legally uncertain spending cuts and new taxes, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger quickly doused it with the icy water of a veto threat. Schwarzenegger labeled portions of the 16-bill package as "bogus," but the parts he rejected related more to so-called "economic stimulus" than its budget-related provisions. He indicated that he could accept a revised version, even though Republican legislators and anti-tax groups denounced it as an unconstitutional money grab. However, legislative leaders said they don't intend to...

But Republicans accused Democrats of subverting the will of voters and setting a historic precedent for raising taxes in California, calling the maneuver "stunningly cynical." They warned that Democrats would soon increase other fees to make up for budget shortfalls if they are successful in their majority-vote plan. "This is a very historic day," said Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill, of Modesto. "Certainly we've been a long time coming to this point where we have reached such frustration with the laws of this state, with the people and their will as it relates to how taxes should be raised, that...

In perhaps one of the most brazen political moves in California history, Democrat leadership yesterday unveiled a budget proposal that would shred the California Constitution by raising billions of new taxes without the required two-thirds vote. The tax hikes in the proposal would include a 2.5% surcharge on anyone paying personal income tax, an additional three quarter of one percent sales tax, an oil severance tax and replacement of current taxes on gas with even higher “fees.” We have no idea who is providing legal advice to the Semocrats, but they should have been informed before launching this silly proposal...

There isn't much point in my expending a lot of time this morning chastising Senate and Assembly Democrats for their plans, this morning, to try to stick Californians with billions of dollars in new taxes, using some scheme where they brazenly attempt to navigate around the State Constitution's requirement for a 2/3 vote to raise taxes. Through sleight of hand and bizarre terminology, Democrats are planning to hike the state's income, gas, and car taxes (and that's not all) -- and do it with a majority vote (Republican legislators have appropriately and boldly said NO to any tax increases to...