No Deal on Prop 25
In his column this morning, Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton offers up a deal to resolve the budget crisis. Skelton says the legislature should give Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger the reforms he demands for public pensions and budget in exchange for the governor’s support for Proposition 25, which would lower the two-thirds vote to majority to pass a budget.
Don’t take the bait, Governor.
I say this as someone who has been quoted by Skelton in the past as seeing a way to a majority vote for the budget. However, Proposition 25 is not it.
I have argued for what I called a “Back to the Future” budget vote compromise. Between 1933 and 1962, California allowed for a majority vote budget if the yearly budget increase did not exceed five percent. A budget that leaped up over five percent required a two-thirds vote.
California Taxes vs. Other States
I spend a lot of time comparing California’s tax and regulatory climate with other states. The reason is simple —- people are reluctant to leave a country (especially the U.S.), but they will leave a state. And so will businesses.
The news is not good. Consider California has the:
— Third-worst state income tax in the nation.
— Highest state sales tax rate in the nation.
— Highest corporate income tax rate west of the Mississippi (our economic competitors) except for Alaska
— Fourth-highest capital gains tax.
L.A. Clean Sweep Kick Off, a big hit!
Cross-posted at RonKayeLA.com.
It was beautiful — the moment of truth when we pushed the button and launched the Clean Sweep campaign to bring all of Los Angeles together to change the political culture, empower every segment of the community and elect better people for a greater city.
Some 200 people gathered Saturday in the heat at the Mayflower Club in North Hollywood to rally behind creating an alternative to failure at City Hall and apathy and defeatism among voters.
A lot of hard work lies ahead that will take the efforts of thousands of people but the enthusiasm Saturday among people who represent political views of the left, right and center, people came from all parts of the city, showed there is a base of committed passionate support for the broad agenda of Clean Sweep.