CNSNews.com - Californians ‘Just Vote No’ Against Tax Hikes

CNSNews.com - Californians ‘Just Vote No’ Against Tax Hikes:

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at a Sacramento news conference. (Photo Courtesy of Governor's Office/State of California)

(CNSNews.com) – Californians have been paying increased taxes since February, but Tuesday they spoke out clearly they don’t want those temporary tax hikes to last longer than planned.

Voters in the Golden State overwhelmingly rejected five of six ballot measures in a special election Tuesday – saying no to tax increases, increased state borrowing and earmarks for education.

“No” votes exceeded 65 percent in all but one measure, which passed. It prevents lawmakers and public officials from receiving pay raises in years when the state is running a deficit.

Three months ago, lawmakers temporarily inflated taxes to raise an additional $12.5 billion for the state’s ailing budget deficit. The tax hikes were intended to end in 2011, but lawmakers proposed extending them to 2013 to raise an additional $16 billion and keep the state’s budget in check.

More than two-thirds of California voters refused to go along with the plan.

“California families are sick and tired of foolish spending from our elected officials,” Randy Thomasson, president of the pro-family organization called SaveCalifornia.com, said in a statement. “It’s time to cut the fat, not the essential services.”

The ballot included measures to redirect money from tobacco taxes, mental health programs and childhood development funds into the general fund.

According to the California Secretary of State’s office, the 2009-2010 budget hinged on the passage of the measures. Now state lawmakers will have to consider making billions of dollars in spending cuts and other solutions to balance the budget.

Thomasson, however, said that is their responsibility as elected officials.

“There are tens of billions of dollars that can be saved each year by eliminating duplicative, inefficient, unethical, and wasteful spending,” he said. “It’s time to eliminate the disgusting waste that’s choking our state government’s effectiveness and efficiency.”

Patrick Gleason, a spokesman for the taxpayer’s rights group, Americans for Tax Reform, agreed that increasing taxes is not the answer to California’s massive deficits.

“It’s like giving booze to an alcoholic,” he told CNSNews.com. “It doesn’t help them address their problem; it just would allow some unsustainable spending to continue.”

“I think they (California voters) were making a point to send their message to the politicians in Sacramento: that business-as-usual can’t go on,” Gleason added.

“Taxpayers are pretty much squeezed dry in California. If higher taxes were the answer, California would be in great shape. That couldn’t be further from the truth. California has some of the highest tax rates across every category.”

Even if it had passed, the main initiative, Proposition 1A, would have extended that sales tax increase only for another two years, Gleason added.

“Voters are sending a message that this has got to stop,” he added. “They can’t be bled dry anymore, and business as usual is over with and the state needs real reform.”

Left with a massive budget deficit of approximately $23 billion, Gleason is skeptical of whether lawmakers can balance the state’s checkbook.

“I think they could do that, but I’m still not convinced there’s the political will for them to be able to go along with this,” he said. “The California voters sent a very loud and clear message, but it looks like it might be falling on deaf ears – with the Democrat majority in Sacramento.”

Had all of the measures passed Tuesday, the deficit would have been $15 billion.