By Michael Milligan
Tax-and-spend activists must either be seriously out-of-touch with reality or completely immune to irony. How else could anyone organize a $106 million tax increase rally on April 12, halfway between property tax day (April 10) and income tax day (April 15)?
Culver City voters are smart. They already had defeated a parcel tax in 1991, because parcel taxes are so wrong in so many ways. Activists persisted, with the help of high-priced consultants (paid with your tax dollars). Their only task: To figure out the best time and method to get you to reach even deeper into your pockets. In 2009, they finally succeeded. Culver City voters taxed homeowners for five years and nearly $6 million with Prop. EE.
EE parcel tax money, now mostly spent and forgotten, did nothing to improve education. It merely created squabbles among union members. In 2009, Supt. Myrna Rivera Coté revealed EE's true intent in her own words: “The recommendation of the consulting firm [hired by Culver City to determine how high a parcel tax we might pay] is to start small, because of the economic situation… ”
That's right, EE was only the beginning. After five years of picking our pockets, they had their foot in the door and enough money to pay for even higher-priced consultants, to organize Measure CC. They call that leadership.
The slick, color propaganda piece by Measure CC activists, found in my mailbox yesterday, made me think of a quote by Thomas Jefferson: “To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”
The mailer in question highlights “Taxpayer Accountability,” yet conveniently forgets to disclose both the cost to the average homeowner (nearly $11,000) and the staggering amount of the new tax ($106 million, which is 18 times higher than Prop. EE). Instead, pictures of children are used as a typical emotional tactic, to sway political points. I found this truly shameful.
Sure, the schools always want more money, in addition to what they already have. It is a safe bet the vast sums squandered on political consultants could have eradicated every last termite and spore of fungus. The mailer suggests the facilities are 50 years old, but conveniently forgets to mention Measure T, which already gave them $40 million in 1996, again for massive renovations. They are deliberately keeping you, the electorate, as uninformed as possible, to better fleece you.
Homeowners are vulnerable targets because they can't hide. Never mind that Culver City voters already have just taxed themselves more than any other Los Angeles County municipality. Like sharks after a taste of fresh blood, the activists are in a frenzy to keep on devouring what is left of our wealth, this time for a full three decades. Such behavior I expect from a virus. Even parasites have the good sense to keep their host alive.
Tax-and-spend activists intentionally kept the cost of this colossal money grab carefully concealed from their propaganda, to make sure the majority of property owners simply don't know how much their tax bill would increase. This money will be confiscated, regardless of income. Seniors, unemployed folks and all those who struggle paycheck to paycheck still will carry the same burden, including all those with no children.
The activists also do not mention how new lending rules will cause this $11,000 tax increase to go directly against our ability to borrow, dollar for dollar. They apparently don't mind if some of us lose our homes to property tax foreclosures, as was commonplace before Prop. 13.
Pass the word. Let us all send a clear message: Everybody with an instinct for self-preservation must vote a big “no” on Measure CC on June 3.
Don't worry: The tax-and-spend activists will be back in no time. Let's just hope their consultants will learn something about ethics, reason and accountability.
Mr. Milligan may be contacted at VictorVector@sbcglobal.net
