☆ Election roundup (9/14): Voters swept off their feet by alluring tax hikes

In 1947's iconic film noir Out of the Past, detective-seeking-redemption Jeff Bailey (played by Robert Mitchum) gets seduced away from his simple, moral country life by femme fatale Kathy Moffat (played by Jane Greer).

Voters rejected Prop 5 this cycle, which would've opened the door to unrestricted gov't borrowing. Yet, other expensive ballot measures like Prop 2 and Measure R (both nobly dressed up as “saving our schools”) were passed. More Opp Now exclusive analyses—of what some perceive as Election 2024's biggest disappointments—below from SVTA's Mark Hinkle, HJTA's Jon Coupal, and CFR's Pat Waite.

Biggest disappointment of the election?

Mark Hinkle, Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association president, Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County vice chair: I was discouraged to see that Silicon Valley voted for the status quo: virtually all local incumbents won, and 24 of 26 local tax hike measures passed.

In stark contrast, voters in the vast majority of U.S. counties voted for tax cuts and smaller government as promised by President-elect Trump. Time will tell whether we’ll get that. History says, “No way.” Government always grows unless we the people mount a concerted effort to stop it.

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Silicon Valley voters passed bond-debt measures that will make home ownership more expensive. That won’t help the homelessness crisis. And it will do nothing to improve children’s test scores or reverse our schools’ declining enrollment.

I encourage readers who share my concerns to take action in ways that suit you: give time or money to the campaigns or groups you favor, or enthusiastically share the benefits of smaller government with friends and family. The more you do so, the less chance we’ll experience in 2028 a repeat of 2024’s election game. We can change the game itself.

Jon Coupal, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association president: The passage of Proposition 2 and Proposition 4. Although not tax hikes, they did run up the state’s credit card unnecessarily.

Pat Waite, Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility president: I am appalled that California makes candidates suffer many additional days awaiting their final election results. Results ought to be available on Election Night, or at least the following day.

I get it: we want as many legitimate voters as possible to participate in our elections. We give them plenty of opportunities to do so. Mail-in ballots are sent to registered voters 29 days prior to elections. Workday early voting begins then, too. Weekend early voting is available the two weekends preceding Election Day. Given all of this, why don’t we require that all ballots be received by Election Day?

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Related:

• Bound by a visible thread: your ballot choices this year will show up on next year’s tax bill

• Opinion: Prop 4 wastes half the money on interest, promises nothing to local counties

• Measure R: what it is, what it'll cost you, and why many San Joseans are concerned

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