Contra Cohen, think tank experts say Prop 5 isn't about democracy; it's about unions making it easier to boost gov't employees salaries
Keith West: Taxman Lithograph, 1986
SJ CM David Cohen drew jeers when he stated—inaccurately to many—that his support for Prop 5 was about "democracy." The good folks at the California Policy Center disagree, and suggest it's a backdoor maneuver to boost union employee wages.
Prop 5 is just the state’s powerful government unions trying to make it easier to raise taxes in advance of their next campaign — to raise the pay and benefits of government employees. Opponents remind voters that a bond is borrowed money and must be repaid with interest by future taxpayers – generally over 30 years. They also point out that Californians already pay the highest taxes in the nation – and that state lawmakers ought to slice through the red tape — the hundreds of government regulations that make it so difficult to build housing, parks and water infrastructure energy. In this instance, they say, government could produce much more by getting out of the way.
And about the creation of a citizens oversight commission: these are rightly viewed as ineffective. Most citizens are appointed to these boards by the people who authorized the placement of the bonds on the ballot in the first place: local officials and government unions that back more government and more government spending.
Read the whole thing here.
Follow Opportunity Now on Twitter @svopportunity
Related:
Opp Now enthusiastically welcomes smart, thoughtful, fair-minded, well-written comments from our readers. But be advised: we have zero interest in posting rants, ad hominems, poorly-argued screeds, transparently partisan yack, or the hateful name-calling often seen on other local websites. So if you've got a great idea that will add to the conversation, please send it in. If you're trolling or shilling for a candidate or initiative, forget it.