Today’s San Francisco Chronicle headline of next month’s “special” election represents the viewpoint of this author as well as all the Republicans with whom I have discussed our state’s budget challenge. Rather than confuse the voters my recommendation is to vote NO on all six measures.
That includes 1F that deals with preventing salary increases during “budget deficit years” Are the elected officials in Sacramento so out of touch with the CA electorate and our concern about balancing the budget that they would give themselves a raise under these conditions?
And it is in not un-American for Republicans to oppose Governor Schwarzenegger who has done a complete 180 to all those who carried him over the finish line in the recall election. Having covered him as a reporter for the Cutting Edge-a Talk Show Internet news program we have witnessed his fiscal conservative rhetoric drop of a cliff. “Read my lips” does not only apply to president Bush 41. While we may not have time to recall him we can send the governor a message on May 19th.
To CA Democrats, Libertarians, and DTS voters. When you purchase taxable goods in CA the merchant does not ask you to identify your party registration. In fact everyone who purchases taxable items pays the taxes whether or not you are registered to vote. The tax extension burden of 1A will impact everyone to the tune of $16 billion dollars at a time when many are struggling to keep their homes and feed their families.
To repeat! Vote NO on 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E and 1F.
GOP vows to fight ballot’s budget bills
By Matthew Yi
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
“California GOP leaders have voted to oppose all the budget-related measures in next month’s special election, a move that highlights the rift between the party’s leaders and its top elected officials.
But how big an impact the state GOP will have in the election is questionable, given that its campaign coffers contained just $143,550 last month.
The six measures were part of a deal brokered in part by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, GOP Assembly leader Mike Villines of Clovis (Fresno County) and Republican Senate leader Dave Cogdill of Modesto before he was ousted during February’s marathon budget session.
The measures would limit spending, ensure education funding, borrow against future lottery sales, shift taxes for children’s programs and mental health to the state’s general fund; and eliminate pay raises for lawmakers during deficits.
While limits on spending has been one of the rallying cries for Republicans, some have criticized the spending cap measure because its passage would mean temporary tax increases would last four years rather than two.
More puzzling is the state party leadership’s opposition to limits on legislators’ salaries, which has been popular among voters, according to early polls.
Hector Barajas, a party spokesman, said the executive committee decided to oppose all the measures so as “not to confuse voters.”
“It would be a lot easier to defeat these measures if we just look at it as a complete package,” he said.
The Chronicle story link can be found here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/21/BARD17604C.DTL
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