GETTING THERE FROM HERE--Isn't this a "surprise"? Sacramento wants to tax us some more! And it's more gas taxes and tobacco taxes! Well, ain't that special, and taxing both financially and emotionally to Californians, because our recovery isn't that great and new taxes might stop the recovery in its tracks.
And in case you haven't heard, the worldwide recovery ain't doin' so hot, so presuming that the wealthy or the middle class is in great shape for a gas tax (or any other tax) isn't too wise. The "great fall of China" may have explosive worldwide consequences, which means that our Wall Street earnings will tumble and place us into another pension/budget crisis.
Which may infuriate many readers, but hey, don't blame the messenger--I didn't make up this economic nightmare!
And nightmare it is. If we don't have enough money to balance our budget, then any new taxes for transportation will end up being the sole source of income for transportation while the rest of the funds get backhoed into the General Fund.
Because transportation is always bandied about as the first thing we need more money for, but always the first thing that's robbed by education, safety/security, social welfare and other priorities.
And if we complain about that, then we're labeled anti-education, anti-safety/security, anti-social welfare, and anti-anything-else-that-Sacramento-and-Governor-Brown-can-come-up-with-to-shut-us-up-into-submission.
The problem with our budget, pure and simple, is that we're devoting too much for ex-employees and not enough for currently-needed services (which could be fixed, in part, by taxing any windfall profits from highly-compensated, six-digit-figure retirees...but will that ever happen?).
Another problem with our budget, pure and simple, is that Governor Brown and the Legislative leadership has conflated being more cost-effective with being against the priority where prudence is being asked for altogether. For example, spending smart and carefully on K-12 or college education is conflated with lowering education funding altogether rather than stretching our education dollars more for better education services without having to raise taxes.
My personal favorite of raising taxes for transportation would be to do what LA County did with its Measure R--increase sales taxes on everyone. Everyone! That means the rich, the middle class and the poor in order to have everyone pay for something we all benefit from: transportation.
That also means the increasing number of workers being paid under the table and those here illegally (which happens a lot, by the way, when we choose to selectively and inconsistently obey and enforce the law).
Gas taxes are something that many believe were highly overdue, and to some degree still feel that way, but discriminating against some Californians who commute long distances, while paying for projects and road repairs that all want and need, doesn't seem to be fair.
And do we WANT another Proposition 13 by taxpayers angry with how they feel Sacramento is spending money?
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So sales taxes are something to be considered...but would it result in an increase in transportation spending or just an indirect switch to more established transportation funding being shifted to the general fund?
And just what EXACTLY would get funded? The California High-Speed Rail Line, or more Metrolink and Caltrain upgrades? Which freeways would be repaired and upgraded, and which would be left off the priority list?
Yes, this proposed tax from Sacramento is one that will be both fiscally and psychologically taxing for all Californians.
But if we must do more taxing, then the problems of how we spend our current budget, and the implications of the new Wall Street meltdown, and the assurance that more transportation money will ACTUALLY go to an INCREASED transportation budget must be resolved first.
In other words, Governor Brown and Sacramento: we'll do OUR job...but you better do YOUR job first.
(Ken Alpern is a Westside Village Zone Director and Board member of the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC), previously co-chaired its Planning and Outreach Committees, and currently is Co-Chair of its MVCC Transportation/Infrastructure Committee. He is co-chair of the CD11Transportation Advisory Committee and chairs the nonprofit Transit Coalition, and can be reached at [email protected] He also does regular commentary on the Mark Isler Radio Show on AM 870, and co-chairs the grassroots Friends of the Green Line at www.fogl.us. The views expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Alpern.)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 13 Issue 69
Pub: Aug 25, 2015
