Now that I am not making a living at politics, I think I understand why people get so frustrated by what they see going on in politics. These guys must think we are stupid.
Nunez says yesterday he wants to raise the car tax. John Laird, chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee, says "this problem cannot be resolved by cuts alone. It will take a combination of tax increases and spending cuts."
Raising the car tax was in the talking points of Steve Peace, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee in the Gray Davis years. He actually put in a bill to allow the Governor to raise the car tax unilaterally, without a vote of the Legislature. When the Governor tried to do that, he got recalled. Of course, the people that counseled the Governor to raise that tax didn’t lose their jobs, they just went to work for the next Governor.
Tax increases and budget cuts were in the talking points of John Vasconcellos, Chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee in the 1991-92 budget crisis. Then Governor Pete Wilson bought into that line, and in a $14 billion deficit (on a $41 billion budget as opposed to today’s $111 budget), supposedly cut spending by $7 billion, and increased taxes by $7 billion. Of course, spending went up to $42 billion in the next budget, but revenues actually dropped by $1.1 billion. So, the proposed spending cuts and revenue enhancements actually were spending increases and revenue killers.
Laird should change his talking points. They should read "This problem will only be solved if we increase taxes, destroy the economy, all of the Legislators lose their job, and we start all over again."
That would make sense, and be the first truthful thing that came out of Sacramento in this budget discussion.
It might also restore people’s faith in their government.
December 14th, 2007 at 12:00 am
When you write comments like that, Mr. Haynes, the headline might very well apply.
If the VLF had not been cut from where it was for almost 60 years, we would have no budget problem. There are consequences for tax cuts, and we’re about to see them.
December 14th, 2007 at 12:00 am
God forbid we the taxpayers should get to keep the fruits of our labors. The nerve of us. Just cut spending across the board until we are balanced. What’s so difficult about that?
December 14th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Yes Mr. Haynes, they do think we are stupid. Especially Mr. Maviglio and his boss who don’t learn from history.
December 14th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Steve’s math is a bit off, as is his recollection of history.