Late last week, four legislative Republicans were quoted in two major newspapers with quotes, indicating in varying degrees that they were open to voting for tax increases as part of a solution to California’s overspending-created fiscal crisis.
Let me make this very clear – there is NO POINT AND NO “DEAL” WHERE IT MAKES ANY SENSE WHATSOEVER TO RAISE TAXES ON CALIFORNIANS. The San Diego Union Tribune has an excellent editorial today driving home this point. It is an objective reality that Californians are amongst the most taxed citizens in the entire country.
State Senator Abel Maldonado, and Assemblymen Mike Duvall, Roger Niello, and Anthony Adams were all quoted thusly:
ASSEMBLYMAN ADAMS (in the Bee):
"The reforms have to be there," said Assemblyman Anthony Adams, R-Hesperia.
"(We must be able) to tell constituents, ‘Look, we had to raise taxes, we had to go forward, but we’ve fundamentally altered the way in which Sacramento is going to be budgeted – and we will not have these problems again because of it,’" Adams said.
ASSEMBLYMAN NIELLO (in the Bee):
But Assemblyman Roger Niello, a Fair Oaks Republican who serves as vice chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee, said he senses a change in the tone of negotiations.
"I think both sides are beginning to at least discuss the priorities of the other side," he said.
ASSEMBLYMAN MIKE DUVALL (in the Bee):
Assemblyman Michael Duvall, R-Yorba Linda, said that "I think we all know it’s crisis time" and that discussion is targeting "what the pushes and shoves are going to be."
Republicans know there "has to be some kind of revenue to balance this whole situation" but must obtain systemic change to "make sure we’re not right back in this mess next year."
"There will be things that are fee-generated and probably some kind of tax (increase)," Duvall said of prospects for a deal. "But until we actually get the whole package, we’re not jumping on board."
SENATOR ABEL MALDONADO (in the Oakland Tribune)
"There’d better be some good, solid reforms in place before anybody in our caucus looks at revenues," said Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, who has cast deciding votes for previous budgets. "People who have signed (no-tax) pledges have to look within themselves and say, ‘Do I want to keep a commitment to a pledge or avert a fiscal disaster?’
"It takes leadership," he added. "I voted for budgets against my caucus. If it’s good for California, and for economic stability, I’ll be an aye. If it’s a budget that raises revenues with no long-term structural reforms, it’s an easy no."
Adams, in his apparent zeal to make it clear that he was willing to support, in the right circumstances (what are right circumstances to allow for billions of dollars in additional taxes on California taxpayers?), higher taxes called into the John & Ken show on KFI in Los Angeles, where the weekday radio program hosts were busily lambasting this group of legislators who are opening the door for a tax increase “solution” to a problem that has been created by many years of overspending.
These statements from these legislators is particularly injurious because it is important that Republicans, who have barely enough votes to keep Democrats from increasing taxes unilaterally, maintain solidarity.
One of the four, Mike Duvall, who represents Orange County, beat a hasty retreat from his quote in the paper, calling into John and Ken and promising never to vote for a tax increase. No doubt his quotes in the paper invoked the wrath of Orange County’s conservatives. So John and Ken have taken Duvall off of their website. But they have added the “head” of State Senator Roy Ashburn to their target list, because of Ashburn’s high-profile flirtation with a multi-billion dollar sales tax increase last summer.
The reality is that all of these legislators should make it VERY CLEAR that there is NO WAY, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, that they will vote to punish Californians with higher taxes as a State Legislator. Doing so will get their “heads” off of John and Ken’s website, and send an important message to the liberals who run the legislature, and to Governor Schwarzenegger — state government grew too fat, and it’s time for an extreme diet. It won’t be pleasant, but it must be done.
In the meantime, FlashReport readers should definitely be in touch with all of their state legislators, and should make a special point of contacting Senators Maldonado and Ashburn, as well as Assemblymen Niello, Adams, and for good measure, given his quote in the paper, Duvall.
Let them know there is NO SOLUTION that makes raising taxes a good idea, period.
While you are at it, you can also direct them all to today’s featured column on the FlashReport from Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, where Coupal CLEARLY DEFINES A REAL SPENDING CAP for California. All of these “I could vote for taxes” Republicans couch their potential votes for higher taxes as being tied to structural reform of the process. I guess you, as someone who follows politics closely, can decide if the cap Coupal describes is “worth” that terrible price. Of course, you’d also have to do some pretty close checking to see that a spending cap agreed to has all of the essential components describes in the column. Especially a REAL spending cap’s MOST IMPORTANT PROVISION – requiring a VOTE OF THE PEOPLE to override the cap.
To the vast majority of GOP State Legislators who have maintained their strong opposition to higher taxes for Californians, no matter how “sweet” the deal, THANK YOU!
P.S. John and Ken’s website has all of the contact information you need to reach the "GOPers on a Stick" as well as the other State Legislators.
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