Stop the Green Taxes

Governor Schwarzenegger has fought a valiant battle for the past seven years, but with a Democratic majority in the state government, his efforts on behalf of taxpayers are sadly diluted. As long as California voters continue to elect Democrats, the tax and spend Sacramento mentality will continue to the great detriment of the state.

The politicians say they need the funds to balance the budget, but that policy is driven by the civil service unions that always want more tax dollars. The Democrats get elected by union money so they do need more taxes to pay salaries and benefits to the union members.

The rest of the U.S. industries are cutting and it is time the state made cuts by reducing salaries and benefits across the board-even the sacred cows, like fire and police-to the level of income that taxpayers can afford. Instead of raising taxes or laying off those on the bottom rung, cut everyone equally and keep them employed. Use furloughs and cut salaries. The fat cats at the top should feel the wrath of the taxpayers, too.

The governor is responsible for some of this mess. His insistence on environmental programs is causing much of the state’s business and investment losses. The religion of environmentalism does nothing to improve things yet costs the taxpayers dearly in jobs and taxes. The sooner we dump the state’s green laws the sooner we will balance the budget without raising our taxes.

The solution to getting the balanced budget taxpayers voted into law years ago is fewer Democrats, i.e., union dictators, and elimination of the Draconian green programs. Send the message to the Dems in Sacramento and the unions that the taxpayers are fed up with their wasteful programs by de-electing them in the next election. – Justin M. Ruhge, Concerned Taxpayers Inc., Lompoc