Opinion: Prop. 22 comes with consequences
By Lou Paulson
Every time an election rolls around, we Californians face a new stack of propositions. They sound enticing to the naked ear but have a lot of hidden consequences. That fine print often carves out set-asides for special interests at the expense of taxpayers and public services.
Such is the case with Proposition 22, the latest, deeply flawed attempt by cities to keep the state from shifting local revenue to balance the budget.
On the surface, the measure sounds seductive. Protecting local tax dollars makes sense – so much sense that voters did it four years ago by passing Proposition 1A.
That measure was balanced and reasonable. Prop. 22 isn’t.
Under the guise of “reform,” Proposition 22 locks a bulletproof shield around special pots of money for redevelopment agencies.
Lou Paulson is president of California Professional Firefighters, representing more than 30,000 local, state and federal first responders. He lives in Walnut Creek, where he works as a fire captain. Lou Paulson is the president of the California Professional Firefighters.
Unfortunately the city of SLT has lost its creativity and can only hold its hand out for redevelopment or give me programs called grants.
Sure hate to see the big salaries and pensions for firefighters and police and other government employees endangered.
Mr. Paulson wouldn’t just be looking out for his own special interest.
If it wasn’t for RDA’s the property taxes would have been flat with no additional taxes for the state to grab.
If the state didn’t squander so much money on welfare, illegals, and schools, they wouldn’t have to appropriate local taxes that should stay local.