After almost a week of not showering, and snoring in a sleeping bag, one California Republican Senator seems to have cracked and will vote against his conscience, but for going home and a fresh change of clothes. Abel Maldonado is essentially sacrificing his political career and is making sure he will go back to his roots in strawberry farming. Also, Abel will bear the collective wrath of millions of Californians who will forever see him as the traitor responsible for their taxes going from highest in the country to even highest-er in the country. After the proposal passes, state sales tax would 8.25% from 7.25% and boost vehicle license fees to 1.15% from 0.65% of the car value; ironically both measures are likely to be totally useless measures in dealing with the $42 billion deficit.Despite his humble farming roots, the Republican seems to realize the implication of his actions:
"This could be a career-ender for me,” he told reporters in the Senate chamber in Sacramento, where a vote is scheduled today. “In difficult times, you need to step up to the plate."
Betraying your electorate to get a replacement shirt is truly difficult times. So just what was the Sacramento equivalent of 30 pieces of silver?
To secure Maldonado’s support, Democratic leaders decided to take up government overhaul measures he sought, including a plan to create open primaries where Republicans and Democrats are free to select in which party’s election they want to vote. It would also need to be approved by state voters.
The agreement brokered with Maldonado hit an early snag when the there was insufficient support to approve his constitutional amendment that would change how primary elections are held. Votes were taken on that measure in the middle of the night, ahead of the tax-increase plan.
Good thing Abel does not know the names of CIA assets in Mexico or elsewhere in the world. Something tells me he would not hold up too long under interrogation. Sphere: Related Content
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3 comments:
As a native Californian it is sad to see how low my state has fallen. California shows what "progressive" politics (i.e. tax and spend)will do to a state. And that's exactly why I'm leaving California in April.
Huh?
The budget agreement has almost twice as much cutting as it does new taxes.
California has high income taxes because of Prop 13. It is not unusual for two houses with the same market value to have a two-to-one difference in property taxes. Not exactly fair. Get rid of Prop 13 and income taxes can be cut.
By the way, high tax states like California, Mass. and NY are also high income states. How do you reconcile that with your ideology that high taxes wreck the economy?
Ironic that the "red" low tax, low income states complain about the "blue" high tax, high income states that subsidize them with federal outlays. If the blue states didn't subsidize the red welfare states, the blue states could cut taxes.
"progressive" politics have led to dynamic economic centers like SF and LA. You think the Bay Area would be what it is without a transportation system like BART?
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