Dutton Report Alert: Dems Answer To Budget Fix - Raise Taxes!!

In case you missed it, State Democratic leaders held a press conference earlier this week to announce their answer to this year’s budget deficit – raise your taxes to the tune of $5 billion.

Below is the headline and part of the story from yesterday’s Los Angeles Times outlining the Democrats intention to raise taxes including raising the state’s sales tax rate.

My Republican colleagues and I believe the issue is not one of revenue, but spending. Over the last five years revenues to the state’s General Fund have increased $20 billion from $81 billion to $101 billion. Despite the significant increase in revenues, the state continues to spend billions more each year to the point where if we fail to act we will face a $16 billion deficit.

Instead of raising taxes, we need to control our spending and not balance the budget on the backs of hard working California taxpayers.

When you read the story it’s clear that it will be a tough fight, but I am committed to working towards a budget that forces us to spend no more than we take in – without raising taxes!

One thing both Republicans and Democrats do agree on, “This is going to be the fight of a lifetime,” as Sen. Pro Tem Don Perata said in the story published today.

State Democrats determined to raise taxes

Legislative leaders, saying school cuts under the governor's proposed budget are unacceptable, are prepared to dig in for a long fight to get about $5 billion in tax increases.

By Evan Halper
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

SACRAMENTO -- — Democratic legislative leaders declared Tuesday that they are prepared to delay the state budget this year if that's what it takes to get tax increases, which they called the only reasonable solution to California's multibillion-dollar shortfall.

"This is going to be the fight of a lifetime," Senate leader Don Perata (D-Oakland) declared at a news conference. He spoke on the steps of a Sacramento high school that faces layoffs and bigger classes under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to close the deficit with spending cuts, borrowing and deferrals.

Asked how Democrats propose to make up the difference, Perata said: "Raise taxes. That clear enough? Raise taxes."

For the full story go to:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-taxes5mar05,1,1401530.story