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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
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Its mind boggling how these legislators think. Tax, spend, borrow, and fee California citizens to death! Why not try being responsible by controlling spending and looking for ways to save money? Besides the bill to legalize marijuana, where are the bills that create jobs? Its like a scene out of Ground Hog Day, they keep repeating the same old BS over and over. Incredible... When all is said and done it will be voters who decide to oust these carpetbaggers. Undoubtedly these tax and spend fools will wonder what they did wrong. That's the point, they just don't get it! Let me break it down for them. Lesson #1: Spend Conservatively, Save Liberally, and Invest Wisely. -- CAW916 Leave your commentCalifornia Democrats back causes that would tax millionsPublished: Tuesday, Mar. 17, 2009 - 12:00 am
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California's recession has not stopped lawmakers from proposing nearly two dozen bills that would dip into taxpayers' pocketbooks for causes from trauma care to domestic violence. The measures would affect millions of Californians in ways ranging from legalizing and regulating marijuana to charging for shopper carry-out bags or requiring sterilization of pet cats that roam. Most of the Democrat-driven proposals target specific groups of people, such as millionaires, pornography buyers, teenage drivers, motorcycle owners, cigarette smokers or liquor drinkers. The goal typically is to alter risky behavior, reduce pollution or to raise money for education, roads, shelters, emergency services or other vital services in a cash-strapped state. "It's other people's money and they can dream up every single good cause in the world to justify the further rape of the California taxpayer," said Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. The new measures come only weeks after bitter fighting produced a new state budget with $12.5 billion in higher taxes and fees. "After they've just jammed us with new taxes, they should not be talking about this," Coupal said of the new proposals. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said democracy feeds off new ideas, but that nobody is forgetting voters' pain. "This is the marketplace of ideas," Steinberg said. "The process is sort of like a funnel, and you begin getting down to what the people, what California, wants and can handle. It will be the same with these measures." Perhaps the most unusual proposal would legalize marijuana for adult users and impose fees on growers, distributors and sellers, the latter at a rate of $50 per ounce. Other bills would allow local government to increase taxes on spray paint or felt markers used for graffiti, and permit county boards of supervisors to impose a personal income tax or vehicle license fee, with voter approval. Some of the new proposals would require a supermajority vote of the Legislature – at least three Republicans in each house – and all require support by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger has not announced a position on specific bills but "it's just not the right time to be raising taxes," spokesman Aaron McLear said. Assemblyman Alberto Torrico, D-Newark, said some of the revenue-raising proposals actually would cut costs in years to come. Torrico has proposed legislation, for example, that would tax oil extraction and windfall gasoline profits to boost funding for higher education. Every new dollar spent on colleges and universities can increase the number of graduates and reduce future demand on social service programs, Torrico said. "We'll save money in the long run, and short run, and invest in our future," he said. Assemblyman Curren Price, D-Inglewood, also is proposing to supplement education funding – at all levels – with a 1 percent tax hike on income above $1 million. But Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, said taxpayers are being hammered already. "People are worried about paying their next mortgage, and they can't look at the long term right now," Smyth said. "We have to be considerate of that." Several measures would raise "sin taxes" in an attempt both to generate revenues for affected state services and, eventually, lower consumption. Cigarettes could see a nearly tripling of the existing tax, to almost $3 per pack. Pornography could see an unspecified sales tax hike. Beer, wine and liquor are targeted for a dime-a-drink surcharge. To bolster funds for driver's training, one proposal would add $10 to the cost of driver's licenses issued to 16- and 17-year-olds. Richard Zeiger, spokesman for Assemblyman Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, said anyone could avoid the Antioch Democrat's proposals to increase costs for cigarettes and teen driving licenses. "Few people have to drive at 16, and no one needs to smoke at all, so these are taxes that if they don't want to, they don't have to pay," Zeiger said. Some measures would boost costs to some Californians while lowering costs to others. Assemblyman Ira Ruskin, D-Redwood City, has proposed to impose rebates and surcharges that encourage car buyers to choose models that emit low levels of greenhouse gases. Sen. Denise Ducheny, a San Diego Democrat who chairs the Senate Budget Committee, has proposed lowering some income tax rates for the middle class while raising the highest bracket to 11 percent. Ducheny said her goal is to spark discussion. Revenue-raising proposals in the new state budget are temporary, so it might be time to consider long-term solutions, she said. "Everybody who's writing to me complaining about all their centers being closed and their mental health services going away may be willing to entertain the discussion a little more," Ducheny said. To reduce California pollution, proposals would require the state's smog-check program to test motorcyles built since 2000; expand the state's bottle-recycling program; ban state parking subsidies; and require stores to charge 25 cents per disposable shopping bag. Some of the proposals are new, while others have been rejected in years past. David Gilliard, GOP strategist, said Democrats proposing revenue-raising proposals tend to have a social-policy agenda and come from safe districts. "They just can't help themselves," Gilliard said. Steinberg said the focus ultimately needs to shift from raising taxes to overhauling the tax system. "One of the reasons we piecemeal these questions of revenues is because we have a volatile and unreliable tax system," Steinberg said. A bipartisan commission is considering potential changes. Call Jim Sanders, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 326-5538. |
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