I’ve heard, like others, of a reputed "deal" on the State budget struck by Big Five negotiators, to be announced Monday. If it includes new taxes and fees, it will be an outrage, and the final nail in the coffin of a State Republican Party dying a slow death for 20 years. The tax issue is all this Party has left, and to cede it to a bunch of leftists, in the middle of a financial crisis, would be monumentally stupid.
But Mike, we need more revenues, you say. No we don’t. If you believe that, then you believe taxes are too low right now, and that the economy can withstand new taxes and fees. Anyone accepting either premise is either completely ignorant, or worse, intellectually defective.
Assembly leader Mike Villines and Senate leader Dave Cogdill have held out too long and worked 
too hard to accept a compromise. Eight years of compromise is precisely what put us here in the first place, and another compromise will plunge a knife into the heart of a badly damaged economy. We out here in the business world don’t care if Sacramento can fund its programs. We are trying to survive. What is it about this that cannot be understood by a typical 10 year old, let alone Democrat legislators and completely neutered Governor? It sounds like a few Republicans may be drinking the tax increase Kool Aid. Guess what guys? You’re toast if you do.
**There is more – click the link**
February 9th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Mike:
Some good news…….. KFI radio hosts “John and Ken” are promising to help
lead a Referendum drive to put any State tax increases on a special election
ballot.
For those outside Southern California, afternoon drive talkers John & Ken have
an ENORMOUS audience, and they’ll stay on an issue for weeks and months
at a time….a focus which helps explain their long success and political impact.
It’s a pity so many hosts are slaves to the “hourly topic” strait-jacket.
Veteran observers will remember how talk legend RAY BRIEM was similarly
instrumental in getting Proposition 13 (1978) and Proposition 187 (1994) on
the ballot with his KABC overnight program….
February 9th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Couldn’t have said it better myself!
February 9th, 2009 at 12:00 am
It is time all coniving RINOS and passive Republican sheep become as politically “stimulated” as those who covet our tax dollars…this is the defining moment..the cliff’s edge….productivity % increases in California cannot sustain a welfare state growing exponentially faster than wealth creation….we are cannibalizing ourselves due to the alarming increases in dead end service jobs throwing off huge social costs increases for service workers incapable of paying health, social program needs, etc.etc. Only through exports and manufacturing-type production are there productivity/ wealth creation to aleviate truly justifable social costs for the indigent and truly needy.
Currently if your in the private sector and a wealth creator you are regulated, criticized, punished with taxes,served up higher and higher insurance costs of all types to limit risks, you face frivilious trial lawyer persecutions and stifiling regulation at every level of business activity.
It is time for full scale public demonstrations and vociferious discourse, frequent and continued recall efforts of judges and politicans, calling for the resignations of kook government adminstration groups like the Coastal Commission, Garbage Boards, Labor, Environment, etc. Also, a huge increase in Propostions cutting the size of government, bring sanity to legislative activities in Sacramento, limit lobbyists, limit political contributions from unions and large economic intersts to politicans who love to steer favorable legislation for big time donors.
How can a politican take donations from government unions and then in turn vote for legislation affecting union wages and benefits…this is wrong, wrong and wrong again.
John and Ken are rough around the edges but so was Tom Paine and other early patriots in America…embrace FREEDOM….it is precious….precious….once they tap the wealth of Prop 13 it is OVER…and your a serf/peon forever.
February 9th, 2009 at 12:00 am
can a tax increase be referended since it would have to be passed with a 2/3 vote?
February 9th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I answered my own question:
“CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE 2 VOTING, INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM, AND RECALL
SEC. 9. (a) The referendum is the power of the electors to approve
or reject statutes or parts of statutes except urgency statutes,
statutes calling elections, and statutes providing for tax levies or
appropriations for usual current expenses of the State.”
February 9th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Mike Spence had the clarification on this issue in his Column of January 5, 2009.
As he points out, Fee increases are subject to Referendum, tax boosts are not.
Any “increase” from Sacto is likely to be couched as a “fee” not a tax, and that
opens the door to an election.
Here is what Mike Spence wrote on 01/05/2009:
————————————————————————————————————
“But here is their problem. Fees can have a referendum placed on the ballot to stop them. Taxes cant. A two-thirds deal avoids
all this, a 41 vote deal doesnt
It is easy to file for a referendum. Ive done it. Once a bill become law, you send a check for $200 dollars to the Attorney
General with a letter and presto magic you have ninety days to get the 433,971 signatures needed. (5% of the votes cast for
Governor).
Rumors have it that the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, George Runner or Tom McClintock are looking at such a
scenario. All of them have been down the signature-gathering road before. But anyone can file the paperwork.
Here is the interesting part. Once that referendum is filed the law cant take effect. Even if the person filing the paperwork
doesnt try to collect one signature the law is on hold.
Lets say the state raises taxes (oops I mean fees) to raise $12 billion dollars a year. A referendum is filed. It would be 3
months before they could get any money. They would be around $4 billion short. Plus if it qualifies they have to wait until the
next election and passage for it to take effect.
Some friend of taxpayers will cobble $200 together to save taxpayers billions, if only for a short while.
February 9th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Folks…that is the way to think…hide behind every birch tree, blend with the rocks and leaves, use the proper legalities to win patriots…win back our freedoms….I am in for $200.00….who drafts the paperwork????
February 10th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Glad to see the circular firing squad at it again.
Uh, didn’t this brilliant “Just say no on taxes” strategy result in heavy losses for California GOP in 2008? By all means, keep at it. Can’t wait til 2010.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I’m sure you just have the best interest of the Republican Party at heart.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:00 am
The “No to Taxes” approach resulted in NO gains for Democrats
in the state senate last year.
Just ask non-Senator Hannah Beth Jackson about that.
The sole Democrat Assembly gains came in 3 seats where
popular GOP incumbents were term-limited.