Californian's, bend over, here it comes baby!

[Ripsnort]

Bet you feel goooood though, eh?

Fees sought on diapers, bullets, booze
By Alexa H. Bluth -- Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Friday, March 7, 2003
California Democrats are seeking to raise taxes or fees on everything from packages of diapers to temporary employment agencies in a spectrum of bills winding their way through the Legislature.
The dozens of Democrat-drawn measures to pump more money into the state's bank account range from creative to politically explosive, and many are crafted to circumvent a rule requiring some Republican votes for approval.

 
 
"There has to be some innovative thought in terms of solving this budget crisis," said Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter.

Democrats and various interest groups say they are calling for tax increases to help fill the state's gaping budget hole to spare programs from crippling cuts. Legislative Republicans and taxpayer groups say tax hikes would further stifle an already gasping state economy.

"Raising taxes in a weak economy is horribly counterproductive," said Senate Republican leader Jim Brulte.

More than 40 bills that would boost taxes or fees -- often labeled "revenue enhancements" to make them more politically palatable -- already have landed in various committees, according to an inventory compiled by Senate GOP staff.

Among them: A 10-cents-per-bullet fee on ammunition and a nickel-per-alcoholic-drink fee to subsidize trauma centers, a fee on disposable diapers that would cost an extra quarter per 100 diapers to finance diaper recycling, and a $1 hike on state bridge tolls in the Bay Area for transit projects.

The measures also include an increase of a penny per board foot in the price of lumber and a provision allowing rental-car companies to pass on vehicle license fee increases to renters. Another measure calls for a tax on temporary employment agencies to help local governments pay for social services often needed by temporary employees.

Democrats hold the majority in both legislative chambers, but Republican votes are needed to achieve the two-thirds vote required to raise taxes and approve a state budget.

Some fees, however, can be enacted with a simple-majority vote.

Lawmakers are proposing some fee hikes using the premise of a 1997 case in which the California Supreme Court ruled against the Sinclair Paint Co. The court said any levy imposed to help correct adverse health effects related to a product could be considered a regulatory fee and therefore not subject to the two-thirds vote requirement.

"The hope of the tax-and-spend lobby not only is that they can jam these increases down the throats of Californians with a simple-majority vote, but also by calling them fees, they hope to disguise these revenue increases," said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

Legislators also are pitching some more sweeping proposals, including taxing some services provided to corporations such as accountants or attorneys, and imposing higher taxes on the state's top income earners.

And a contingent of California lawmakers is calling for laws that would tax goods sold over the Internet.

"These are going to make life more expensive for ordinary Californians," Coupal said.

In January, Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat, also proposed a package of tax increases for the 2003-04 fiscal year, along with a spate of cuts and program shifts. Davis proposed raising the state sales tax by a penny on the dollar, adding two top income tax brackets and tacking an extra $1.10 to the price of a pack of cigarettes.

Republicans have countered with their own legislation, such as measures to raise the ceiling on income tax brackets and enact research tax credits.

In California, recent polls have shown a lukewarm reception for tax hikes and concluded that voters prefer tax increases on cigarettes and the wealthy over car tax and sales tax hikes.

Democratic and Republican leaders across the nation are considering tax increases to help plug budget holes.

The governor or legislators have offered tax increase proposals to help eliminate budget deficits in at least 24 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Of those, the conference reports, at least 14 states are considering higher cigarette taxes while six other will consider increased alcohol taxes.

However, in California, legislative Democrats and groups representing the programs that could face severe cuts have insisted that a state budget deficit estimated to reach anywhere from $26 billion to $35 billion simply cannot be fixed without tax increases.

"Let's face up to it, we have to do both. We have to look at both revenue enhancements and severe and drastic cuts," Florez said.

Assembly Democrats also are pressing for an administrative increase in the state vehicle license fee, which has been reduced gradually since 1998.

The move would not require a vote, lawmakers said, because the law reducing the car tax included a provision to trigger an increase if the state has insufficient funds. The vehicle fee question has sparked a debate between Davis and Controller Steve Westly over who would make the call to trigger the increase.



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About the Writer
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The Bee's Alexa H. Bluth can be reached at (916) 326-5542 or abluth@sacbee.com.


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At a glance
Some of the tax increase proposals being considered by the Legislature:
* A fee on each disposable diaper sold in California, amounting to 25 cents on every 100 diapers, to pay for diaper recycling programs, by Sen. Don Perata, D-Alameda.

* A 10-cents-per-bullet fee on ammunition to fund trauma centers, by Assemblyman Paul Koretz, D-West Hollywood.

* A 5-cents-per-drink fee on liquor and beer to pay for trauma centers, by Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles.

* A $1 hike in state-owned Bay Area bridge tolls for public transportation projects, subject to voter approval in the area, by Perata.

* A 1-cent-per-board foot fee on lumber, which would average $100 per new home, to pay for forest restoration, by Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica.

* A tax on temporary employment agencies to reimburse local governments for social services costs attributed to temporary employees' unreliable income, by Assemblyman Manny Diaz, D-San Jose.

* A $1 fee per barrel of crude oil for California refineries for anti-pollution programs, by Assembly members Diaz and Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills.

[ra]

I propose a $1 tax on every tax proposed by a demikrat.  That should put California back in the black in about 3 days.

ra

[MrLars]

Were already bent over and getting shafted by the oil and power companies, the fact that the shafting will be done by people that claim to be the voice of the populace won't make the shafting any more palitable.

[GtoRA2]

Thats it, all my ammo is coming from out of state for from now on...

[funkedup]

Perata is always inventing new taxes.  Fortunately he doesn't get them passed very often.  
The problem is that they jacked up the budgets based on revenue projections which assumed growth would continue as it did during the dotcom boom.  Now that the revenues have failed to grow as they expected, they are reaching into our pockets for more instead of scaling the budget growth back to a reasonable level
The sad part is that we can't even look to the Republicans for fiscal responsibility.  Dubya is running way in the red too.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by MrLars
Were already bent over and getting shafted by the oil and power companies, the fact that the shafting will be done by people that claim to be the voice of the populace won't make the shafting any more palitable.

But you'll still vote for that party giving you the shaft just to spite, won't you?

Still looking for my link I had saved showing the big businesses that the Dems have taxed out of California, you know, those guys that gave you jobs until they could no longer afford taxes in Cali.  They're doing the same thing in WA state too (Democratically controlled...bye bye Boeing!)

[Airhead]

"Diaper Recycling?" Yecccccch.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Airhead
"Diaper Recycling?" Yecccccch.

Yeah, your employees that got laid off from Big Business (due to relocation because of high taxes) will soon be a "Diaper Disposal Technician"

[midnight Target]

Legislature actually passed the "Car Tax" that would have tripled the annual automobile registration. We would be talking $500 per year just for a license. Gray Davis vetoed it, but only after plenty of pressure from the pissed off populace.  

The real BS is in how they try to blackmail us into buying into these taxes. The Sheriff of LA County (not a democrat BTW) actually said that "if you can't afford the $500 for a license, then you shouldn't drive such an expensive car."

I need to move.

[GtoRA2]

Hell don't we all MT?

This state is so great, yet sucks so bad politically!  At least tax wise... hehhe

[midnight Target]

Then they tell us how we will lose vital systems and law enforcement protection if we don't pony up!

Bullchit!

[MrLars]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
But you'll still vote for that party giving you the shaft just to spite, won't you?

 

That's the beauty of being a fence sitting moderate liberal....I'm not tied to any one particular party, I vote for the person and his/her qualities instead of the party line.

Now, since you think you know so much about me, should I load 195gr bullets or 210gr for hunting rabid partyline Reps?

[Frogm4n]

The highly republican controlled florida is going to have to do something like this as well. When you cut the federal tax's your going to have to make it up somewhere and state tax's are normally raised. From what i read about those tax's though is that they will be affecting only certain sectors and that cash will pay for the programs in place to fix what problems they create.
Btw republicans are anything but fiscally wise, florida has no budget problems till jeb bush and well we all know about the white house's super happy fun defiecet spending. unlike the last presidents budget plan.

[DoctorYO]

CALIFORNIA,


THE LAND OF FRUITS AND NUTS....


and for the weak minded dont worry Florida is well on its way to Cali standards.

Florida is the California 20 years ago...

give us time we'll implode too...


2 cents


DoctorYo

[midnight Target]

Fruits and Nuts.. funny.

If you look into the fiscal history of Claifornia the most reasonable and consistently balanced budget came from a liberal Democratic administration....

Thats right, Governor Moonbeam himself, Jerry Brown.