When you’re making important decisions regarding ballot measures, I hope you’ll study up on the issues, read information from both sides. You might even try to find some impartial sources. Here’s an pretty fair article from Oregon University’s Jefferson Public Radio about the California Taxpayer Protection Act. Oregon has no dog in this fight, so it’s good to hear what they have to say about it.
League of California Cities, the California Democrats, Governor Newsom and other opponents of the TPA claim the TPA shouldn’t even be allowed on the ballot.
“In late September, Newsom, the Legislature and former California Democratic Party chair John Burton filed an emergency petition asking the California Supreme to invalidate it. Their main argument is that the measure is so sweeping that it is a constitutional revision, rather than a constitutional amendment.“
Meanwhile, Democrats in the legislature are trying to amend the state constitution to require only 50%+1 approval for tax measures (ACA 1) and only 2/3’s passage for taxpayer protection measures (ACA 13). Those are both legislative amendments with NO VOTER APPROVAL.
Excuse me – what a pile of fucking hypocrites and just plain RACKETEERS! Their claim that this measure will make it harder to raise taxes is absolutely true – but not impossible like they’re claiming. It will just require more of us to sign on the handing our money down the toilet, than just our neighbor and another guy. Read further.
The ballot proposition would require voters to sign off on any new state tax or tax increase. It would also raise the threshold for voter approval of citizen-proposed taxes in cities, towns and counties from a simple majority to a two-thirds vote.
The measure would also reclassify many regulatory fees as taxes, which would subject them to the same requirements as taxes in order to be increased. Currently, some state and local governing bodies have delegated authority to agencies – such as municipal departments – to increase certain fees.
Here’s the real threat, especially in Chico, where the city just foisted a sewer “rate change mechanism) through mailed ballot followed by a 50%+1 sales tax increase.
If approved, the proposition would apply retroactively to all state and local tax increases since January 1, 2022 with a remedy period. That could mean a reversal of new local taxes that aren’t able to meet the requirements, which has raised alarm from the League of California Cities and a handful of mayors.
So wake up, look around – our Democratic Governor and his stooges are trying to tax us without proper representation, meaning your vote, your approval. Your answer: NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.
Chico Taxpayers Association 