Hey, I recall those taxes. And the politicians in California will recall them too. Or at least pretend to, until the recall vote on Governor Davis has safely passed.
Okay, let me stop punning for a minute and give you the background. Recently I discussed the California recall effort. I said that even if Davis survives, Californians benefited just by putting the recall on the ballot. Politicians there have become more hesitant about increasing taxes, at least while Davis’s fate is still open. In response, a guy I’ll call Glenn wrote me. Glenn says, “You are right that the message carried by the recall vote was ‘no big tax hike to pay off YOUR screw up’ and the [politicians] heard it.
I was one of those trying to get signatures on the recall petition, and until Davis announced the triple-whammy automobile tax hike, I could hardly get anyone to more than ho-hum my pitch. The day after the announcement, I picked up ten signatures on my block, two from people who wouldn’t even open the door to me the first time around.” I appreciate Glenn’s comments, especially since he started out saying “you are right,” which I always take as a good sign. The politicians in California are now talking about dropping the new car tax, but it looks like a block-and-feint. As soon as Davis is safe, if he is, the car tax could be back on line.
In the long run, the only way Californians can keep runaway politicians at bay is to keep their feet to the fire. Thank goodness the people there have initiative and referendum. And term limits.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.