By Matthew Bartlett
I am on fire after learning this afternoon what our lawmakers in the state of California are up to. I am fed up with these representatives who have been voted into office by the citizens of this State, and yet once in office decide that they can do anything they want at the expense of the hard working citizens in this state. These same politicians have run this State into the ground year in and year out and yet their only solution for our problems is to RAISE TAXES! The two politicians that I speak of are Democrat California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, and Democrat Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg. These two along with all other State Democrats are attemting under a blatant lie to push thru an $18 billion dollar budget package that amounts to nothing more than an $11 billion increase in taxes, and all without the required by law two-thirds majority vote needed for a tax increase. The blatant lie that I referred to earlier is that this is not an increase in taxes, but instead simply an increase in fees according to Assembly Speaker Karen Bass(D) and Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg(D).
This tax increase breaks down like this: a 1/2-cent increase in the state portion of the sales tax, and a 1/4-cent hike in the local part of the tax; a 2.5 percent surcharge on personal income taxes starting in 2009; a 13-cents-per-gallon gasoline tax; a new "severance tax" on oil production; and a new 3 percent income tax witholding requirement for payments made to independant contractors. Heard enough, I know I have. Furthermore these same democrats say this is the only solution to the State's budget problems. Well let me help these democrats out with an idea. HOW ABOUT MAKING SOME CUTS TO THE BUDGET BEFORE EVEN THINKING OF ASKING FOR TAXES TO BE RAISED. But then again how could these crooks stay in office unless they continue to pour more of our citizens and business owners hard earned money into the hands of their political backers.
I do not need to tell you all that we are currently in the middle of a very challenging economy. We already pay the highest gas tax, personal income tax rates, & State sales tax in the country. We will not as a State rise up out of this with more tax increases. Over the last 10 years we have seen one business after another close their doors and move elsewhere due to this anti-business mentallity. We have seen enough business owners go out of business entirely because they cannot keep themselves afloat in this type of business enviornement. And even still, we have seen other companies keep their doors open, but only after laying off more hard working people. And to make matters worse for the fourth year in a row, more residents left the State of California then have moved here. And these same democrat politicians say "who cares". Well "I care". I am encouraing everyone to contact their friends, family, & business colleagues and ask them to call these politicians and let them know we are not going to put up with these unconstitutional & Illegal efforts to raise taxes any further.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, State Capitol Building at: 916-445-2841 or
Los Angeles Office
Phone: 213-897-0322
Fax: 213-897-0319
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass(D) at (323) 937-4747 or (916) 319-2047
Senate Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg(D) at (916) 651-4006
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