Thursday, February 19, 2009

California legislatures passes the budget with few changes

The bad news
State sales tax raised one percentage POINT (NOT 1%)
Double vehicle license fee. (the promised repeal of which actually got Arnold elected)
Reduced dependent credit claimed on taxes. (hope you don't have lots of kids)
.25% increase on our taxes.

The "good" news
$0.12 increase in gas tax dropped (replaced by magic stimulus money from unicorn farts)
Turncoat Republican got a ballot initiative for "open" primaries approved. (slated for the 2010 ballot)

The open primaries ballot initiative is a good thing, it's actually something that could bring some real change to California. Unfortunately, it's likely to be opposed by almost every seated politician, because Dems want to keep things the same, and Republicans don't want to risk losing what seats they have to the choice of the people.

"We should reopen negotiations and we should pass a no-tax budget," Hollingsworth said. "The majority of the Senate Republican caucus said we want to stand for a no-tax budget."

A majority of Republicans? What the hell do you think this is? Bipartisanship? Don't be stupid Hollingsworth. Bipartisanship only matters when Republicans are in control.

All the taxes in the budget package would last for two years, but they would be extended another two years if voters approve a permanent spending cap that would be placed on the May 19 ballot as part of the complex deal worked out with Republican leaders over several months.

This'll be fun. If the people get pissed off at the taxes, and vote for the cap, they get the taxes for longer. If they don't vote for the cap, legislators get to spend all they want. This is part of the deal that was discussed behind closed doors with two Republicans who did not represent the entirety of the Republican legislature. They should have unseated these leaders earlier.


The people are not going to like this. Californians have proven themselves to be very slow to easily redirected anger. They're not going to like this, and they're likely going to make the wrong move. The politicians aren't the problem, it's the people who hired them. Californians need to realize that the politicians they vote for have real-world effects on their wallet. Twenty-somethings making peanuts and not paying any income taxes may not have felt previous tax increases, but they're certainly going to feel the doubled registration fees, and the increased sales tax. (assuming they still have their low-tier job after businesses adjust for the increased costs)

The people need to realize they have a duty to investigate the politicians they vote for more than just checking the letter next to their name.

Until that happens, change will never come to California.

2 comments:

NotClauswitz said...

Every politician needs to be audited with a guillotine at the end of the audit-trail.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe in a State where policy has been written by Democrats since Helen Thomas was is grade school, where Democrats control both houses, where Democrats run the executive (sorry Arnold, you ain't red), and Democrats got us in this position with their tax and spend, that all the crap I read is blaming Republicans.

Since when have Republicans mattered in CA?