Posted on 01/15/2017 9:58:11 AM PST by Jim Robinson
Despite tax collection increasing by 50 percent in the last 9 years, California’s public pension insolvency is forcing Gov. Jerry Brown to propose a dangerously unpopular 42 percent increase in gasoline taxes and a 141 percent increase in vehicle registration fees. Breitbart News reported on January 9 that Gov. Brown announced that for the first time since 2012, California’s $122.8 billion General Fund Budget is in deficit by $1.6 billion. Despite a near bankruptcy during the financial crisis, California’s tax revenues have increased by about $43 billion in the last 9 years. Brown on Monday only suggested relatively painless spending reductions to close the budget gap. He was very careful to not suggest highly controversial increases in gasoline tax or vehicle fees.
Democrat governors have been regularly spiking gas taxes and vehicle registration fees for decades. But 12 years ago, Democrat Gov. Gray Davis was recalled by voters after he pushed the state legislature to pass a vehicle registration fee increase from $46 to $158.
The legislature cancelled the increase and Democrats have avoided gas and vehicle increases since. When the Assembly tried to revive a gasoline tax last year, the issue was dropped after polls showed 63 percent voter opposed any increase.
Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger destroyed his popularity by pushing through the Proposition 1-A high-speed rail initiative in 2008 that added about 11 cents a gallon to the price of gasoline — for a project now referred to by Bloomberg News as a “fiasco.”
Gov. Brown’s willingness to try raising gasoline taxes by 17 cents a gallon, and on vehicle registration fees by $65, is a sign of the insolvency risk from the exploding cost of California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) public pensions. Brown’s draft 2017-2018 budget already includes a $524 million increase for the public pension...
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Good LORD!! And I just moved to California too. Maybe I should go back east.
This is an issue that republicans can use to expand in California. Give teachers regular 401k plans, not guaranteed by the state.
A bum begging for more of your money.
FU Jerry Brown!
Highways should be privatized with a elimination of gas taxes
let the free market solve
Read: the private sector must suffer in order to pay for the public sector’s expectations.
Who pays to maintain the private sector’s retirement expectations? There is no one left.
By the way, how much is the average CalPers recipient pension reduced, in this plan?
Time to organize marches against the socialist Pigs in California.
Just another example of what happens when Democrats run a state, city, or school program.
Oh definitely
Tax em on everything Jer...it’s the way of the left
Nah because the left out numbers you
Wait until Trump starts removing CA federal funding because of Moonbeams sanctuary state policies...
This other thread gives me some hope for California.
Peter Thiel considering bid for California governor (Pro-Trump, multi-billions, for CA independence)
That is great news. I’m glad that Jerry Brown is sticking it to those car driving freeloaders who are too dumb to know the benefits of taking public transportation. the bullet train is desperately needed to provide 22nd century transportation to the downtrodden masses of California. If the state legislators are sensible and truly love the environment, they will pass this new tax and get those pollution machines off of the roads of California freeing them up for pollution free electric cars. (sarcasm)
Unless you work for the state that may have been a risky move.
Of course sometimes people have no choice but to go where they find work.
Well, blame it on the moron liberal voters of Taxifornia. They have put so many RATS into the state legislature and in the governor’s mansion that this is what we get. The unfunded debt in Taxifornia has been out of control for a long time and the RATS do not care. They just steal more from the people. And those same voters approve legislation like the scam law that allows the TOP TWO CANDIDATES to be the ONLY ones on the ballot....both RATS. No Republicans. No independents.
The RAT criminals are just getting away with what the voters are letting them get away with -— and that is why our demographics have been DELIBERATELY CHANGED to feed the handout machine. It is a freakin’ mess. And now MOONBEAM wants to steal more to pay RAT DEBT.
Cloward-Pivening themselves to death. Abbott needs to go poach 100 more companies from them first. And you CA conservatives need to come with him before the destruction is complete.
sorry ‘bout that.
So long as LA and San Francisco exist, you guys are screwed
I'm convinced CA Republicans are offspring from the Stepford Wives. Is there anyone in the state of California that gives a damn?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.