Paul Gunn (left) and Howard Jarvis (AP Photo) raise their hands as their co-authored initiative, Procision 13, takes a commanding lead in the California primary in Los Angeles, June 7, 1978. .
Californians everywhere are seeing the fruits of progressive policy decisions as Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democratic Legislature continue to raise taxes and spend record amounts of public money. They do so despite state-induced crises (homelessness, housing, crime, insurance, infrastructure, etc.) that are making California less livable and forcing businesses to move elsewhere.
The resulting frustration led to some stupid ideas. We haven't heard much about Newsom's further recall attempts since the Secretary of State gave the go-ahead to collect signatures two weeks ago, but we've been calling them a disingenuous waste of time. The last attempt was an embarrassing failure, giving the governor even more power and benefiting no one but the consultants.
But there are serious ways to try to resist Democratic leadership. Note that Newsom is not at all concerned about Recall 2.0, but he is concerned about a serious effort to help businesses that will be on the November ballot. That could spark a new tax revolt in California, something not seen since Proposition 13 was passed in 1978.
The bill, called the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, would require a two-thirds majority to approve local tax increases, and any increases passed by Congress would require voter approval. Local governments that rely on endless tax increases are concerned about a provision that would retroactively lower some taxes to 2022 levels. The government improperly classifies some taxes as fees to facilitate passage, so this law would correctly classify them as taxes.
To understand the fear and fear it is stirring, consider that Newsom and the state Legislature filed a lawsuit in the state Supreme Court in an attempt to remove the measure from the vote. They argue that this imposes changes so far-reaching that it amounts to a constitutional amendment rather than an amendment. That argument is nonsense.
Congress also passed Amendments 1 and 13, which sought to weaken the Protection Act. ACA 1 lowers the threshold for local voters to approve taxes, and ACA 13 makes it harder to raise the threshold. These measures appear to be aimed, in part, at falsifying voting results and preventing voters from supporting real taxpayer protection measures. We believe voters will see through it.
As The Wall Street Journal noted, Mr. Newsom and leading lawmakers took out full-page ads in major newspapers targeting major companies affiliated with the California Business Roundtable, which is promoting the effort. . Advertisements call the measure “dangerous,” but it largely appears to be a desperate attempt by state leaders to bully big businesses rather than address the legitimate concerns that have brought them to this point. Looks like.
In 1978, Californians were having taxes removed from their homes as local governments continued to raise property taxes. The political establishment predicted dire consequences if voters approved Proposition 13.
Liberal groups, public sector unions, and special interest groups that rely on the government trough still blame government initiatives for every problem, even though government agencies have done much better since then. . The nation's problems are simply the result of the government doing a poor job, wasting public funds, and raising taxes when it runs out.
If you want to reduce the powers of an out-of-control governor and legislature, forget about pointless recalls and join the 2024 tax revolt.
