Yesterday Bob sent me a link to a piece Dan Walters wrote previous to the November election. He opined that the surge of tax measures being pushed by local government around the state was based on the pension deficit, despite what officials were promising to do with the money.
https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article220100755.html
Here’s an interesting link I found in that story.
https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2018/10/08/cities/
“may be” driving local tax measures? Here’s what the mayor of Capitola admits about his tax measure:
“’I’m not certain, but I think if we put a measure across for pensions it would be doomed for failure immediately,” he said.
Instead, Capitola’s Measure J proposes to ‘help fund youth programs, protect parks, beaches and open space, and support local businesses.’”
The Sentinel reports, “Capitola’s pension payments are expected to more than double to $2.2 million over the next five years.”
The measure passed, even with a 2/3’s requirement, because the mayor of Capitola is a big fat liar. He knows the money will be transferred and allocated to pay for the pensions, he’ll admit that to a reporter, because he’s also convinced the people of Capitola that their “visitors” will shoulder the burden for them. Like his consultants told him to do, the mayor used the city’s most precious resources as a ploy.
So when you hear the same yadda coming out of Mark Orme’s mouth, you’ll know what you’re hearing, right?
Chico Taxpayers Association 
Yup, Walters’ title to that article says it all Property tax surge reveals the truth: Local tax hikes are all about pensions.
But that is the last thing the local politicians and bureaucrats and the special interests will ever tell you.
It’s funny how honest they are at meetings – but nobody’s there, and the press doesn’t say anything.
Before anyone votes for another property tax increase or a sales tax increase for that matter they should be required to read this book.
Plunder: How Public Employee Unions are Raiding Treasuries, Controlling Our Lives and Bankrupting the Nation
damn I was going to write that book
Before our local overlords hit us with a sales tax increase and another bond measure I sure wish they’d read the latest from Walters.
“We pay through the nose to live in California”
https://calmatters.org/articles/commentary/we-pay-through-the-nose-to-live-in-california/
(Although, let’s face it. Our local rulers couldn’t care less how much our taxes are. All they care about are the fat pensions.)
And we are going to pay more to live in this state. Walters mentions the extremely high utility costs and they are going way up thanks to PG&E’s criminal negligence.
But don’t worry, the CEO of PG&E will be just fine. While we will pay more in rates she walks away with millions when she should be going to prison.
“PG&E Former CEO To Collect Millions In Cash While Utility Files For Bankruptcy”
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-14/pge-former-ceo-collect-millions-case-even-utility-files-bankruptcy