No No No No No to Budget Vote

John Seiler:

Looks like a vote on the California budget might come tomorrow, Wednesday. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg has scheduled a vote for 1 pm.

Let’s hope it loses. Which would mean enough Republicans would have to stand tall and keep voting No No No No No NoNo No No No No No….

One Republican, Sen. Tom Berryhill (R-Benedict Arnold), already says he’s voting Yes. His excuse:

It’s still my hope that we’ll be able to get to yes and do something that makes sense for the state of California and give voters a chance to vote on this thing.

Well, it doesn’t “make sense for the state of California.” We’re already taxed to death. Higher taxes only would slam the state’s crippled economy even harder. The similar tax increase of 2009 sure didn’t work. Why should this one?

And as to giving the voters a chance to vote: Why doesn’t Berryhill at least insist that other reform measures be put on the ballot? Such as:

1. Bringing back the Gann Spending Limit, which worked.

2. Cutting taxes. We sure need a hefty tax cut. How about cutting the sales tax 1 percentage point, which especially would help poor people?

3. Significant pension reform.

That would be real democracy. Give voters a smorgasbord of choices.

But that isn’t going to happen, of course. The election, if it happens (which I expect it will), isn’t about democracy. It’s about assaulting the taxpayers yet again.

March 15, 2011