Posted on 06/02/2005 5:01:09 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Seizing on a proposal by Democratic legislators to raise income taxes on the wealthy, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released a new television ad Thursday claiming lawmakers intend to hike other taxes and might even tinker with the state's famed property tax-slashing measure, Proposition 13.
The new ad came just two days after Assembly Democrats proposed adding $3.1 billion to fund education by hiking income taxes on the state's top earners. But the ad suggests Democrats also want to boost several other taxes, including the sales tax and the vehicle license fee - claims Democrats called misleading and dishonest.
The commercial begins by repeating a claim Schwarzenegger has made often since becoming governor - that the legislature spends more money than it takes in and seeks tax increases to shore up the difference.
"How do they plan to balance the books?" the announcer asks. "Increase the car tax. Increase sales taxes. Increase income taxes. And dismantle Prop. 13 to increase property taxes."
The ad goes on to promote Schwarzenegger's so-called Live Within our Means Act, a budget balancing measure that would, among other things, dissolve the minimum school funding requirement known as Proposition 98.
The governor is likely to call a special election this year to consider that measure, along with initiatives to redraw legislative districts and make it harder for teachers to get tenure.
"Join me in reforming California so that together we can rebuild California," Schwarzenegger says at the end of the ad, punching his fist in the air for emphasis.
Schwarzenegger's political operation, the California Recovery Team, distributed a document supporting the claims made in the ad.
The document noted, for example, comments by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) suggesting the state consider restoring the full vehicle license fee. But the document didn't disclose that Perata has also said restoring the fee wouldn't be politically viable.
The so called "car tax" was slashed under Republican Gov. Pete Wilson in the mid-1990s, when the state was flush with cash. Democratic Gov. Gray Davis restored the full tax in 2003, a politically unpopular move overturned by Schwarzenegger after Davis was ousted from office.
The document also noted a measure backed by Democrat-leaning public employee unions that would alter Proposition 13, allowing commercial property to be taxed at a higher rate than residential property.
But Steve Maviglio, a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, said that while Democrats did support increasing top earners' income taxes to pay for education, Schwarzenegger's other claims were based on legislative proposals that had no support and no chance of passage.
"It's fair to say that those are proposals that have been put forward, but none of them are going anywhere and have no chance of passage," Maviglio said. "If we scraped the barrel for every Republican proposal and stuck it on him, that would be dishonest as well."
Gale Kaufman, a strategist managing the Democrat-backed coalition opposing the special election, called the ad a "kitchen sink" approach that did little to justify or explain the reform measures he is likely to place on the ballot.
"The governor is attempting to use the legislature as an excuse for calling a special election," Kaufman said. "So he can make up whatever he wants, and for a short period it will work. He'll keep throwing as much stuff up against the wall and see what sticks."
And O/T...Juan someone or another was just quoted on KFI as saying the Gov is "the son of the devil" and they (his organization) are going to defeat him.
Returning to your thread.....
This matter is usually only newsworthy when Republicans want a tax increase. The fact that Schwarzenegger is registered Austrian rather than a Democrat or Republican probably explains this odd situation.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
"The Democrats ARE for tax increases. They're simply not being honest with the voters about their governing philosophy."
The obviousness of this seems to be lost on the MSM. The Dems in CA feel that they have a right to raise taxes as high as they want, but those darn misguided voters get in the way.
The legislative majority believes that too many people live here already. I mean just look at the housing prices, right? So they should be able to just tax the state into a socialist utopia, governed by special interest labor groups. They believe all the Prop 13 voters are dead or moved away. No joke--they really believe all this.
It's amazing how little they learned from the recall election. Californian's like services, but hate irresponsible, out of control spending like we have now. They want good schools, but they want them to perform.
The Dems have a freight train heading straight for them, but they keep hoping that Gov. S will "self-destruct" (their words) so they can get back to business as usual.
"The ad goes on to promote Schwarzenegger's so-called Live Within our Means Act, a budget balancing measure that would, among other things, dissolve the minimum school funding requirement known as Proposition 98. "
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THIS is exactly what we need to have passed. Prop. 98, by it's requirement to spend half the budget on schools is one of the major obstacles to bringing the budget in line. THe other major obstacle is the Democrats, of course.
Arnold is willing to go around the Dem Legislature and go directly to the people.
Bush should put on a similar ad about the Dems and the Federal budget!
I think there should be a Hollywood actors tax. Any actor making more than 250,000 per film and the film sucks should give 50% of their paycheck to taxes.
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