It truly must be a terribly lopsided redistricting plan that allows the state legislature to be dominated with left-wing liberals who are so out of touch with the people of California. On the same day that four separate surveys of public opinion on Proposition 13 show that Californians overwhelmingly support the Measure and its protections against higher taxes (Field, PPIC, Jarvis, and Cal-Tax), newly-minted Assembly Speaker Karen Bass has picked up the Fabian “Higher Tax Conch Shell” and yesterday unveiled an unfortunately predictable budget proposal on behalf of Assembly Democrats. The unstable foundations of their plan are the same two balsa-wood pillars upon which they always stand – higher taxes and more spending.
In making her pronouncement that Assembly Democrats, in addition to embracing the Governor’s idea of expanding the state’s lottery and borrowing billions against its future anticipated earnings (though they propose spending this money differently than does the Governor), their plan calls for a staggering $6.4 billion in new taxes. Yes, as we celebrate the protections of Proposition 13, the Democrats want to raise taxes in epic proportions.
Telling was this sentence in a prepared release issued by Speaker Bass:
That’s exactly the kind of mentality, embraced by decades of Democrats, that has put us in the overspending-induced financial quagmire in which we find ourselves today.
I don’t know how it works in Ms. Bass’ family – but the way it works in my family’s budget is that first we figure how much income my wife and I will bring in through our jobs, and investments. Then based on what we will have available, we budget for a prudent reserve (for savings and retirement) – and then, using our “values and needs” as a guide, we then decide how we are going to spend the money that we have. I have never heard of a family that sits around and dreams up their wish list of needs based on their “values” and then takes money from the budgets of other families to buy everything they want.
Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines quickly responded to Bass’ call for billions in tax increases with a strong message that read, in part:
Political pundits today are talking about how far apart Democrats and Republicans are in terms of reaching a deal on a state budget. They are correct. I think it is critical to point out that in terms of opposing new taxes (whether called “taxes, “revenues”, or “fees”), Republicans have sound public policy and strong public opinion on their side — and unity of purpose.
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