☆ Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association prez: In endorsing ACA 1, SJ Council starkly “going against” residents' wishes
Image by Wikimedia Commons
California ACA 1, given an official thumbs-up by some city councils like San Jose's, would make it easier to advance bonds and special taxes for affordable housing projects by changing the required two-thirds supermajority to a 55% majority. Here, Mark Hinkle—local Libertarian officeholder and SVTA's president—argues that ACA 1 doesn't represent what SJ voters want, given overwhelming Prop 13 support, and would diminish living standards. An Opp Now exclusive.
The fact that ACA 1 would abolish the two-thirds passage requirement for tax hikes is what’s wrong with it.
Given the failure of local, state, and federal governments to solve any major issues — homelessness, the pandemic (unconstitutional policies causing the decline in educational test scores), and the federal War on Drugs (fentanyl), to name just three failures — why would any person think government can spend his money better than he can?
Having to pay for tax increases means fewer goods and services for you and your family. That lowers your standard of living.
It’s remarkable how in the Silicon Valley, when it comes to high-tech products, we consistently get more of what we want for less and less money, but when it comes to government, we always get less of what we want, but have to shell out more and more for it.
When local governments lobby to make it easier to raise taxes, it is not exactly for our benefit. Do we now all work for the government, but without the fat pension plans?
Every level of government is supposed to be working for us — not the other way around. The San Jose City Council is supposed to represent its citizens. If individual San Jose voters — not government employee unions or the League of Cities — are appealing to their councilmembers to support a particular statewide bill, then and only then should we hear from the council.
The voters of California passed Prop 13 overwhelmingly, which means the San Jose City Council is going against the wishes of the voters. They are not representing the citizens of San Jose. They are not doing their job. In the private sector, when you don’t do the job you were hired and are being paid to do, you get fired.
Something to consider, next election cycle.
Mark Hinkle is vice chair of the Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County and a small business owner.
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