The Promise to California Taxpayers, unveiled Wednesday by Carlsbad-based Stop Taxing Us, incorporates the Taxpayer Protection Pledge pushed by Grover Norquist and attaches language addressing two issues near and dear to Californians: Proposition 13 and taxpayer contributions to government employee retirement plans.
The Promise to California Taxpayers co-opts language from Americans for Tax Reform and goes further than the pledge pushed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Both documents have been praised by supporters for adding a layer of accountability to state and national politics and drawn scorn from critics for contributing to the partisan stalemates in Sacramento and Washington. Read more.
November 30, 2011
By: Christopher Cadelago
Move over Grover Norquist and the late Howard Jarvis — there’s a new taxpayer pledge in town.
The Promise to California Taxpayers, unveiled Wednesday by Carlsbad-based Stop Taxing Us, incorporates the Taxpayer Protection Pledge pushed by Grover Norquist and attaches language addressing two issues near and dear to Californians: Proposition 13 and taxpayer contributions to government employee retirement plans.
Brian Brady, a director with Stop Taxing Us, said he hoped tea party and other groups across the state would use the new tool to petition lawmakers and candidates in their areas. Fiscal conservatives, regardless of their party affiliation, should articulate clearly that raising taxes is something they would never do, Brady said.
“We intend to solicit as many California lawmakers, from a local mosquito abatement board on up to governor,” he said. “Stop Taxing Us intends to be a clearinghouse for those groups and compile which lawmakers sign the promise and which lawmakers decline to sign the promise.”
Sherry Hodges, a candidate for the new 76th Assembly District, is the first to sign the pledge. The group also reached out to another candidate in that race but has yet to hear back on a final decision.
The Promise to California Taxpayers co-opts language from Americans for Tax Reform and goes further than the pledge pushed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Both documents have been praised by supporters for adding a layer of accountability to state and national politics and drawn scorn from critics for contributing to the partisan stalemates in Sacramento and Washington.
Lara Brown, a professor of political science at Villanova University, said she was not surprised to see the pledges flourish at a time of high distrust in elected officials and the political system.
“At the same time I would argue this is precisely how California got into so many of the problems that it currently has,” Brown said.
“Members of the state Legislature have very little control over the actual dollars that go into the general treasury because of the number of initiatives and referenda that have been passed.
“Those were essentially pledges that were binding dollar amounts to general revenue.”
Another example of problems to stem from a delegate system was the recent failure of the congressional super committee to reach a compromise over the deficit, Brown said.
“All of these individuals on the committee, their hands were so tied by the constituents or the interests that they represent that there was no way for them to come to a compromise,” she said. “While I understand the sentiment and the desire to not give too much latitude or trust to one’s representative, this is the situation where it could actually come back and hurt you because your politicians may not be able to even compromise toward a solution.
“I would just sort of say to the tea party and to these groups, ‘Be careful what you wish for.’”
The new voluntary pact reads:
I, (name) pledge to the tax payers of the (jurisdiction), of the State of California, and to all Californians that I will:
ONE: oppose any and all efforts to increase marginal tax rates for individuals and/or businesses, and
TWO: oppose any and all efforts to amend and/or repeal Proposition 13, and
THREE: oppose any and all efforts to increase the taxpayers’ contribution, to public employee retirement plans, and
FOUR: oppose all net reduction and elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.
“The state of California is in the middle of a budget crisis and revenue is not the problem,” said Gary Gonsalves, co-founder of Stop Taxing Us.
“We have structural spending issues which must be fixed if the government of California is to live within its means.”
Stop Taxing Us has planned a formal ceremony of Hodges’ promise — in the style of Americans for Tax Reform — at campaign fundraiser Friday in San Diego.
“We want to make it easy for candidates to tell the voters where they stand,” Brady said. “Additionally, we want California taxpayers to know which candidates protect them and, should the unfortunate happen ... that is ... if a candidate breaks his or her promise in office, we want to let the taxpayers know that their governing actions were inconsistent with their campaign rhetoric.”