Posted by Ray Haynes at 12:00 am on Feb 02, 2009 1 Comment
I usually don’t respond to what others have said here on the
Flash Report, because usually no response is required, but as I was
doing my morning reading (for me it is morning, since I am on the
other side of the world right now, and yes, the Flash Report is the
first thing I read when I wake up here). I saw Jennifer
Nelson’s comments, and I thought, I really understand the
frustration.
In 1991, Pete Wilson raised taxes, and pushed legislators to do
the same, basically saying what Ms. Nelson said–Democrats exploded
spending in the 1980’s, and when George Deukmejian resisted, the
Dems went out and passed Prop 98, which has literally destroyed any
semblance of spending control since then. Republicans were
blamed for the tax increase.
Between 1998, in the midst of a then record increase in spending
(from $43 billion general fund in the 1996-97 budget to $57 billion
gf in the 1998-99 budget), Republicans pushed for and received a $4
billion car tax cut. Spending in the next two budget cycles
(1999-2000 and 2000-01) increased $22 billion, from $57 billion gf
to $79 billion gf. Guess who and what got blamed for the
deficits of $11 billion… Read More