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SCCA Magazine |
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SCCA Magazine May-June 2010 |
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Stop Hidden Taxes
For years, politicians have been using a
loophole in the law to raise taxes on products
and services we use every day simply by calling
them fees. Under California’s Constitution, the
Legislature can pass or increase taxes only with
a two-thirds vote. But the politicians in
Sacramento get around this constitutional
requirement by calling the taxes “fees,” which
only require a simple majority vote to pass.
Politicians should not be allowed to trick the
public this way. Initiative 09-0093 would stop
the Legislature from imposing hidden taxes in
the form of fees.
The facts
Last year, the
Legislature increased taxes by $12.5 billion.
Now they want more. We need to stop politicians
from using this loophole to pass hidden taxes
and force them to control the wasteful spending.
The recession has forced families to cut back.
Now, the Legislature should cut spending and
live within its means. Roughly one third of
state agencies are mostly or entirely funded by
fees, including the California Air Resources
Board and the Contractors State License Board.
“Stop Hidden Taxes” was formed to support
qualification and enactment of Initiative
09-0093 and will make the Legislature to abide
by our Constitution and get a two-thirds vote to
raise taxes.n California has higher taxes than
most states. We’ve lost more than a million jobs
and have one of the highest unemployment rates
at 12.5 percent. Raising taxes and fees on
people and businesses will continue to drive
people away, kill jobs, reduce state revenue and
make our budget crisis even worse. We need to
stop these hidden taxes that hurt California so
we can focus on the future and growing our
economy.
Taxes disguised as fees have
skyrocketed over the past 10 years. And the
politicians want to tack even more hidden taxes
onto items ranging from car registrations to
grocery bags.
This measure will help stop
out-of-control spending in Sacramento. Passing
it will send a message to the politicians that
it’s time to clean up the waste and
inefficiencies in government. At a time when our
economy is suffering and jobs are being cut, the
last thing we need is higher taxes and fees.
Stop Hidden
Taxes opposes Initiative 09-0057 because it
would allow politicians to include new or higher
hidden taxes/ fees in a budget package, pass
that budget with a 50 percent majority (rather
than the current two-thirds vote) and eliminate
the right of voters to use the referendum
process to gather signatures on a petition to
force a public vote on new or higher hidden
taxes/fees.
Stop Hidden Taxes is a coalition
sponsored by the California Chamber of Commerce
and California Taxpayers’ Association.
Supporters include Southern California
Contractors Association (SCCA), the Small
Business Action Committee and many others. The
petition-gathering work is done and the group
turned in 991,310 signatures to the Secretary of
State's office for verification, which must be
completed by local election officials no later
than June 30th. The SCCA Legislative Committee
has endorsed this effort and supports the
measure.
For more information, visit
www.NoMoreHiddenTaxes.com or call (866)
218-4450.
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