HALFWAY TO CONCORD » tax increase

Buchanan abstains on tax vote

admin — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:14:07 +0000

Fox and Hounds reports that newly ensconced Assemblyperson Joan Buchanan of Alamo, abstained from her first tough vote, a tax hike proposed by her own party. Not exactly a profile in courage.

The author wonders whether such bravery was more a matter of fear of her swing district’s distaste for a record of tax increases from their representatives. Perhaps Speaker Bass handed out “get out of jail free” cards on the vote because she knew it would not pass without three Republicans, and therefore rookies like Buchanan would not have a “tax increase” vote on her record?

Point-Counterpoint on California budget

admin — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:49:55 +0000

As California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, gets ready to veto the budget passed Tuesday a.m., each side in the debate is lining up to explain their side. In an utterly uncharacteristic display of editorial neutrality, we offer recent op-eds from Assemblyman Guy Houston (R) and Senator Tom Torlakson (D).

Howard Jarvis group bemoans CalTax fat cats

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:55:57 +0000

The fat cats keep getting fatter! John Coupal, of California’s Howard Jarvis Tax watchdog group, recently published a scathing editorial excoriating the California Taxpayers Association for caving under pressure to Governor Schwarzenegger’s $10 billion dollar tax increase. As if taxpayers don’t already pay too much in taxes.

Sadly, much of Coupal’s jeremiad will fall on deaf ears as California businesses know they can pass on costs to make consumers and the poor pay for any tax increase. This smug corporatism of big business, big labor, and big government is the death knell of prosperity for California that is bound to erode individual freedoms, as well. But every election, Republicans and Democrats buy into this madness.

Don Perata says California budget negotiations are finished

admin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:37:17 +0000

Don Perata says the Passion Play over California budget negotiations” is finished,” according to Jim Sanders of the Sacramento Bee. The proposal negotiated by Senate Democratic leaders with California Governor Arnold Scharzenegger, reportedly includes: a spending cap to limit annual state expenditures, a temporary 1-cent increase in the state sales tax, and a rainy-day fund to sock money away in boom years. Accroding to Sanders, “Perata did not elaborate on details of the proposed spending cap, but said it was intended to break the current standoff with Republicans.” Perata said the next step is to place the compromise spending plan before the Senate for a vote and that the settlement would require some Republicans to break ranks over the term “temporary.”

Perata cancels vote on $10 billion tax increase for California budget

admin — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:43:34 +0000

The Sacramento Bee reports that California State Senator Don Perarta has called off a budget vote, largely because he can’t find more than 25 votes to pass a $9.7 Billion tax increase. Meanwhile, the California Democratic Party has donated $250,000 to help Don Perata pay off his legal bills, as the Senate Democratic leader continues to rack up expenses fending off an ongoing FBI corruption investigation. Time to blow up the box, Arnold.

California Democrats plan to eat the rich with tax proposal

admin — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:24:09 +0000

The Sacramento Bee reports that Democrats are determined to eat the rich in California as it proposes “billions in tax increases on businesses and high earners to help bridge California’s budget shortfall. The proposed hikes include rolling back the dependent child income tax credit expanded in the 1990s, creating two higher income tax brackets for the state’s biggest earners and increasing corporate taxes.”