GOP Attacks Bill That Would Ease Local Tax Votes

Mercury News. com ^ | 6/13/2011 | Lien Hoang

[EagleUSA]

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Now that Republican lawmakers have voted against a renewal of expiring tax hikes, Democrats are turning to another, more complex way to generate revenue.

A bill proposed by state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and narrowly approved last week would dramatically expand the taxing powers of local governments, school boards and other jurisdictions.

But the bill, SB23-1X, would lead to such a complicated latticework of taxes that opponents say Steinberg is merely pulling a stunt to ramp up pressure against Republican lawmakers.

The Sacramento Democrat said his legislation would give public schools and law enforcement agencies a firmer source of funding if lawmakers don't come up with one directly.

It would grant sweeping authority to local governments to raise money, with voter approval, through taxes on income, vehicles, alcohol, tobacco, medical marijuana, soda and companies that pump oil in California.

Steinberg introduced his local tax proposal on Friday, soon after the defeat in the Senate of the main bill to renew temporary increases in the statewide sales and vehicle taxes that will expire June 30. It passed, but with only the bare 21-vote majority needed. One Democrat voted against it and three others abstained.

The bill applies to counties, school districts, community college districts and county offices of education. Critics said it would create a logistical nightmare of inconsistent tax policies

[EagleUSA]

I like the title from the liberal Mercury News. It should read "GOP attacks bill that permits runaway taxation at the local level in California". This is how the liberals, who have destroyed California, handle their addiction to power through tax-and-spend politics. Just keep taxing the state into its final grave.

[blueunicorn6]

This will be fun to watch. Liberal Democrats spinning in tighter and tighter circles.

[Publius6961]

GOP Sane People Attack Bill That Would Ease Local Tax Votes

There.
Fixed it for them.

[CA Conservative]

An important thing to remember is that our state constitution requires a 2/3 vote to pass tax increases, even at the local level. This might actually be a good thing for the GOP. Conservative areas can lower their taxes and reduce their social program spending, and the liberal areas can increase their taxes and social program spending. Then see where the jobs go and where the illegals and welfare recipients go...

[Mariner]

Communism never sleeps.

[Cobra64]

If the jerks in Sacramento believed in the United States Constitution, they wouldn’t be in this fuster cluck of a state bankruptcy.