A couple of weeks ago, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called together a group of leaders of taxpayer advocacy groups in his office in Sacramento. The purpose of the meeting was two-fold — for the Governor to restate his commitment to holding the line against any new taxes, and also to strategize about how to tackle the upcoming state budget negotiations.
I asked FR friend Jon Coupal, the President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, who was at that meeting, if he would put pen to paper (or is that fingers to keyboard?) and tell us all about that meeting.
When reading his piece, featured today on the main page, I was especially pleased to hear that the Governor made it clear that his opposition is to new taxes and to NEW FEES. As Coupal points out, this will foreshadow a host of vetoes during this legislative session as the Democrats love to pass fee increases left and right.
Coupal’s piece ends with a warning, though. Which is that holding the line on taxation is very important, but that the big challenge ahead of the Governor is the reigning in of spending….
TIM LESLIE’S NEW IDEA
I recently read that Assemblyman Tim Leslie is moving forward with legislation to create an Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives. I reached out to him to ask him to pen a piece for you telling you about it. I admit that I am torn on the idea. Of course the promotion of faith based and community efforts from the private sector is a great idea. But the libertarian side of me is very hesitant about the creation of a new government office, and the idea that government should be playing a role in the coordination of the activities of private entities. Well, it is definitely worth reading. Thanks to FR friend Craig DeLuz for facilitating this column.
**There is more – click the link**
May 10th, 2006 at 12:00 am
“TIM LESLIE’S NEW IDEA”
There are four words I never thought I would see in the same sentence.
May 10th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Jon,
How does the Governator expect to pay off all these shiny new multigazillion dollar bonds he’s saddling you guys with, without more revenue (like A LOT more revenue)? Does Arnold think the bonds will magically pay for themselves? Does he think investment banks are going to give the state a better credit rating as he and the Communist-controlled Legislature shovel out more debt liabilities? He has actually run a profitable business empire, and I would’ve expected him to know that what debt is taken out, must be paid.
May 11th, 2006 at 12:00 am
“Trust your Libertarian instincts, Jon. Go with the force!”
I’d like to think that Tim Leslie means well, but there are so many problems on so many levels with his proposal that he should really reconsider focusing on something more cost-effective for Californians, say, eliminating General Assistance, court fee waivers for inmates bringing bogus civil rights suits, or any programs that give illegal aliens benefits better than US citizens (read, in-state tuition fees).
To me, the biggest problem with Leslie’s legislation is that it would buttress the many left-wing “charitable” organizations that are in reality political ones. Better to focus on enforcing existing laws requiring transparency for all non-profits and their finances, than to do anything that will continue their proliferation and manipulation by the liberal special interest groups who will undoubtedly take full advantage of Leslie’s law if it is passed.