Earlier today I joined with over 150 concerned taxpayers from around the state as we gathered on the West Lawn of the State Capitol. This noon rally was to send a message to CA legislators of our opposition to any tax increase to offset the state’s roughly $15 billion budget deficit. This “press conference,” adjacent to a huge inflatable ATM machine, was led by several conservative leaders urging no new taxes. Speakers or attendees included around 10 Assembly Members, several of whom addressed the crowd and the TV crews covering the event in the bright Sacramento sunshine.
When called to speak Irvine Republican Assemblyman Chuck DeVore said the “Lord giveth and the government taketh away.” He mentioned a proposal of billions in new taxes being floated. i-tune downloads, beer, virtually “if it moves–tax it; if it stands still they will still tax it.” He added “Ladies and gentlemen, we have had enough.” Chuck went on to report that while Assembly Democrats are proposing an unspecified $6 billion dollar tax increase the Senate has their own plan that will be $8 billion. To bypass the 2/3rds requirement he anticipates increasing of fees to raise around $1.2 billion. Unlike a tax to increase or impose a fee only requires a simple majority vote.
This rally is part of a multicity effort by the non-profit “Americans for Prosperity Foundation.” Peter Foy, California State Chairman informed that this national “grass roots” organization has Chapters in 21 states with a common goal. Stop tax increases.
Michael Villenas, Assembly Republican Leader, who functions as the Lead (Rep Caucus) Negotiator during “big 5” sessions with the governor, notified us that the Assembly is proposing a $6.4 billion dollar increase while the Senate is shooting for $11.8 billion. Mike said they have “no cuts” in their proposed budget. “That budget will go nowhere.”
Without a transcript listing every speaker and their comments let me simply add that Members George Runner and Van Tran provided brief remarks. I did speak to both Todd Spitzer and Jim Silva who were there to show their support.
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association president Jon Coupal was multitasking at the rally. I listened in as he was interviewed by a local radio station producer and overheard him state that “CA is in the worst fiscal situation (than any state) now in America.” Adding our “legislature is anti business, and anti taxpayer” and that “unlike the federal government we can’t print money.”
In his rally comments Jon said that “it’s time to tell the legislature to keep your hands off Prop 13.”
David Spady, California State Director of the Americans for Prosperity, told us that “taxpayers should not be an ATM machine.”
Flying out from Washington, DC was Americans for Prosperity president Tim Phillips who commended us for our productive efforts to get petitions signed. He reported that in a very brief timeframe we had gathered 28,000 petitions that were to be turned in today. He estimated that the current budget fight would continue into the summer.
At the conclusion of the press conference we were encouraged to pick up packets containing the 28,000 signatures which were sorted by representative and their room numbers for personal delivery. SRA member Joy Ferlauto and I picked up two bundles and carried the first one to the offices of Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod where I handed them to Alfonso Sanchez. Before having us leave Alphonso thumbed through the pages to make sure that they were in fact from their constituents. Our next stop was to the office of Senator Bob Margett. As bob was not in the office we gave them to his executive assistant scheduler Diana Franscella.
While riding the elevators or walking the halls looking for these offices we passed several groups carrying their own bundles of petitions wearing green T’shirts which read in part. “California Taxpayers. NO NEW TAXES!”
Before departing I did stop to chat with Assemblyman Bob Huff to congratulate him on his recent Senate victory over Dennis Mountjoy.
Let me share a few more facts to this lengthy report.
1. “The size of the state budget has increased by 30% or $34 billion over the last five years.”
2. “California has the fifth highest tax burden in the nation.”
3. “Together, education, health, and social services account for nearly 80% of General Fund spending in 2006-07.”
For additional information on Americans for Prosperity simply go to :
www.americansforprosperity.org
Final note. Fellow Juice blogger Vern Nelson attended the rally during which he spoke to Assemblymember DeVore on the controversial issue of same sex marriage.
Just like a Liberal – talk about sex at a budget rally! Seriously I’m assuming the Dem proposals are starting points in the budget negotiation as was the Governor’s across the board 10% cut that he backed off of in May.
I’m glad the topic this year is going to be fees and loopholes because I think a lot of them are rediculous and amount to double taxation, or zero taxation on something most of us expect to pay taxes on. Lets clean that mess up and see where we stand. Then talk about what services we can cut and which regulations we can cut that cost alot to service.
I think Republicans have a vital part to play in this dialog and I hope that our representatives can examine this issue without circling the wagons and chanting “no new taxes.”
Publicize your information in greater detail also so we can intelligently enter the discussion. Don’t just say we pay the fifth highest taxes, show the comparisons, show what the ones that are spending more and taxing less are doing differently. Lets talk for once and not just posture.
Believe me nobody likes paying more for anything, especially taxes, regardless of political affiliation. You know, that’s why its such a successful wedge issue for you guys. We dont mind paying a fair price for something though, we just don’t want to pay more than the next guy, let’s see if we can’t make the tax structure like that here in California then look at programs to cut and new revenue to create.
Brother Larry. Thanks for letting me know about your event. Just kept running into people I knew up in Sacramento. After I left your rally I ran into Don Hansen from the HB City Council, up with the California Business Council or something. And then right around the corner a Yugoslavian violinist I knew from UT Austin was doing a concert.
That was pretty funny when you saw me talking to DeVore and ran up to tell him to be careful what he said to me. Chuck reads these blogs and I told him who I was. He didn’t seem like a guy to be embarrassed by anything he has to say.
I just needed to warn him about the rumor of a mysterious anti-gay-marriage blogger by the name of PHOBIUS, who will be posting here once the debate over the new initiative heats up. Because from what I understand, PHOBIUS will be expounding a lot, among other things, on the DEVORE PRINCIPLE, which holds that legalizing gay marriage is a slippery slope to legalizing polygamy and bestiality. Just wanted to give the guy a heads up.
Brother Vern. You looked so comfortable “hangin “with Rep’s I thought you might return to the beach and change your registration.
anonyms.
I am glad to see you acknowledge that “Republicans have a vital part to play in this dialog.”
Let me digress for a moment to your opening sentence.
While everyone acknowledges an energy crisis in the US, Dem’s are more focused on shutting down any suggestions from our side of the aisle simply because they have the votes.i.e.
Drilling in ANWR. While we would not see the oil flowing for five years, to shut down our efforts to wean away from OPEC helps whom? Environmentalists?
And second. Assembly Member De Vore has been consistent in promoting nuclear energy. There is only one problem. Chuck is a Republican. So while 20% of our nations energy is nuclear and France gets upwards of 80% of their energy via nuclear power, we lose every time the suggestion is made.
Yes, we do need bi-partisan co-operation if those elected to office place us, the citizens, above themselves and their partisan caucus’s. Sadly they have not read the opening four words of Pastor Rick Warren’s best seller, The Purpose Driven Life, where is says “it’s not about you.”
We ARE chasing business out of CA and I am not referring simply to outsourcing to Asia. Our business climate is terrible. Chuck pointed out that our neighbor, the state of “Nevada, is the third most hospitable business climate in the country.” Perhaps instead of junkets to Europe or Asia to see how others perform let me suggest that we send an economic development delegation to Nevada and consider their laws and regulations as a benchmark against CA.
What changes can we make to entice new firms to open up shop in our state?
Let’s not overlook those already here by the creation of “business friendly” regulations. We need to help existing firms expand their operations in our state rather than chasing them away which leads to major domino consequences.
To paraphrase one speaker stating that moving company’s are busy departing CA yet come back empty. What does that tell you?
With regard to our business atmosphere Chuck said we are ranked 47th trailing only New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. Not a stat that you or I would be proud to shout from the rooftops of the Capitol.
Forbes Magazine issued their “best places to do business” report based on six categories. Business cost, economic climate, growth prospects, labor, quality of life and regulatory environment. In the story it also mentions tort climate (litigation costs.)
Amazing stats. Ranked 75th was Camden N.J. Having driven through Camden on business trips in a previous lifetime, you really do not want to visit without wearing a Kevlar vest. The first CA area to appear, at 78th, is Riverside, CA.
If you focus on the “cost of doing business” category Riverside ranked 124th, Oakland 157th, LA 178th Santa Ana 184th and San Diego 189th.
Five of the top six listed cities in this category are all located in North Carolina.
Larry,
I remain concerned with a power source that produces a toxic substance as a by product and nuclear waste seems in first place in that category so I look forward to hearing Chuck’s research on this.
As far as the Dems actions go it really seems like turn around is fair play and both sides need to figure out some new groundrules about civil behavior or you’ll always have to play power politics to get anything done.
I think that all your other ideas are really good. I think we spend a huge amount on this regulatory scheme and I too wish we could simplify it. I guess that costs are also high in the loophole category, knowing California, and those could be examined for cost effectiveness as well.
You are right that businesses leaving is a real problem and an indication we have to pay attention to. We could also look at the disadvantage our way of providing healthcare is placing on American business in a global economy.
I know we come from different sides of the same coin so there must be a way to work together to solve some of these problems. We need to encourage prosperity because it lifts all boats when there are a lot of people making good money.
anonyms
While I prefer using more current data, the Wall Street Journal published a report entitled “Businesses Ponder Leaving CA” in which the opening sentence states that “the budgetary and political upheaval in CA is prompting other states to poach companies based here, and there are signs the states are succeeding.” It says that “in a recent survey conducted by the California Business Roundtable, about 20% of 400 California businesses said they are planning to move or expand out of state.”
If I can get my hands on more specific and current information I will try to post an update.
As to your concerns regarding nuclear waste I have researched and found a study with multiple European Nation participation. For some unexplained reason the USA was not included. If Chuck answers your concerns that would be great. If I can find data that we can all comprehend I will post it.
regarding anonyms desire for my research on the issue of nuclear pollution compared to other risks, please see my academic paper just published in the UC Berkeley Ecology Law Currents: “Relative Risk: Global Warming and Imported Fossil Fuels vs. Nuclear Power” http://www.boalt.org/elq/C35.01_05_DeVore_2008.04.10.php.
All the best,
Chuck DeVore
California State Assemblyman, 70th District
http://www.ChuckDeVore.com