Analysis: CA’s 2022 “wins” owe to conscientious DAs, voters, journalists

In Daily Breeze’s reflective “naughty or nice” list, Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association president Jon Coupal highlights how local taxpayers were protected by some district attorneys, informed by high-quality journalists, and — most importantly — how they advocated for themselves through intelligent voting.

As for those who have been nice this year, I have some ideas too.

A few district attorneys: Keeping with the EDD [Employment Development Department] theme, our state district attorneys and U.S. attorneys deserve credit for their continuing efforts to punish the fraudsters and claw back some of those stolen unemployment benefits. Just last week, a former gang member and prison inmate in Kern County was sentenced to five additional years for his part in ripping off taxpayers.

Journalists: While the media in this state undoubtedly have a leftward bent, there are several reporters who do an outstanding job of uncovering waste or fraud that otherwise would have gone undetected. Without them, many of the worst cases of government malfeasance (like the EDD fraud) might never have been uncovered or, at least, would have been allowed to fester for years or decades longer. Independent journalist Ralph Vartabedian gets a gold star for his relentless reporting on the joke that is the high-speed rail project.

Voters: The voters were wise this year to reject Proposition 30. California already has the highest individual income tax bracket in the country. The wealthiest Californians already pay the lion’s share of the taxes. Because of the progressivity of our state income tax system, we are heavily dependent on them to keep the state running. They are already taxed enough and they’re well aware that Nevada, which has no state income tax at all, is just next door.

This article originally appeared in the Daily Breeze. Read the whole thing here.

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Image by Jon S