Governor and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass make up excuses

The news has carried the comments of Governor Schwarzenneger and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass that make up excuses for the loss of 5 of the 6 items on the budget issues (taxes, mainly). And of course they have excuses that miss the real point. In Arnold's case, he says that the voters were tired of all the elections- well, most of the people voting wanted to keep their taxes from making an even steeper climb than already is happening. That's the real story. People, at least the majority of voters showing up at the polls couldn't miss the opportunity to shut down that attempt to gouge taxpayers again.

Speaker Bass is somebody I am finding who makes up her own interpretations and sticks to it, even though wrong. Bass said the voter "were confused" about the ballot measures and that they didn't understand them. Well, she's right as to the part about not "understanding" them- at least that was an accurate statement. The language chosen was their choice and they muddied it up on purpose. Most people don't read this kind of language everyday and even if they did, it was largely vague and loaded with conditional items that WERE confusing. Looking at the title of Prop.1A for one example, you notice that it had "Rainy Day Budget" as a very innocent and thrify sounding term. THAT term itself was a hint of the trickery they use to lure a voter into approving these traps.

Bass is wrong when she thinks the voters shut down the propositions because they were confused, they rejected this because they were being lied to and it was apparent that "clarity" in the language was intentionally avoided. A political shell game was going on and the voters wouldn't bite this time. No, Speaker Bass, the ones who did not understand this were you politicians, not the people. The condescending tones of some of these politicians is often just too much for me to take quietly, but since we don't have interactive news coverage to converse with them in real-time, I just am left to post my comment here.

Arnold has maneuvered with the party leaders of the state legislators, it comes out now and celebrated when they came up with these proposals. They are such phonies and liars, making themselves more culpable for what deceptions they create when they deny it. If they took the losses of their proposals personally, then that's how they SHOULD take it, as rebuke to their handling of state affairs, and not due to what sounds like any kind of "voter inadequacy."

Sales tax hike statewide in two weeks

There’s more tax coming to a store or business near you. That is the message to be clear on that’s discussed in the article, “No April Fool, Sales Tax Will Increase,” a story in the L.A. Valley College student newspaper, the "Valley Star," by Astrid Seipelt , Issue date: 3/25/09.

This was the result of the State legislature’s February 19th approval of the budget terms. The budget deficit is announced as $42 Billion. The tax is “temporary” and the duration will depend on the May 19 vote on Proposition 1a that will extend the tax if approved.

The story comments on the Governor’s involvement on this situation, a big involvement:

“Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is a proponent of the passage of Prop. 1A,
stating that he was doing the best for the state, despite reneging on his promise to oppose new taxes when he was reelected in 2006

"Back when I was running, I wouldn't sign a pledge against taxes because I didn't want to be constrained if there were a disaster, like an earthquake," said Schwarzenegger to the Sacramento Bee. "In a way, the disaster happened. The
state of California faced insolvency."

If you will remember, Gov. Swarzenneger was elected in a recall election based on Gov. Gray Davis' spending the state into a huge deficit. Since that election, the Gov. has done a complete reversal of postion, alienating people who put him into office as he has currently has allowed the State spending to far surpass those levels that Gov. Davis approved. The Governor, since being shut down with some tough measures he supported a few elections back, has really been responsible for a lot of what we have now, and then chastises those who seek to put the brakes on things.

The Valley Star story states the additional feature of taxing impact locally as,

Angelinos will also be dealt with another tax hike on July 1, when the county
tax rate increases to 9.75 percent July 1. This increase can be attributed
to the passing of Measure R by voters last November. According to
Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the measure will assist in funding
the improvement of transportation in the county, and will be imposed for the
next 30 years.

The "improved transportation in the county" is just a goal that may accomplished in some places, and at some time in the uncertain future, but the imposition of the taxing burden is here to stay, thanks to campaigning for passage of what in my view is highly speculative in terms of results and limited in terms of benefits in a geographic settings. I don't think the consequences were worth the actual effects. This might be one of the situations fitting the saying, "Be careful of what you wish for."