California Drowning in Red Ink

It’s easy for termed-out lawmakers to play musical chairs in a one-party state like California. Just ask Governor Gavin Newsom, who is running a shadow campaign for the presidency. Better yet, ask Assemblywoman Laura Freidman.

“This is my last year in the Assembly,” she recently told the Pasadena Star-News. “I’m looking back at years of legislation and what I might be able to work on in Congress.”

Friedman and her fellow legislators ­– including termed-out Assemblyman Chris Holden and Senator Anthony Portantino – cling to their “progressive” social agenda while the state drowns in red ink.

In two years, a budget surplus of $95 billion dissolved to a budget deficit of $46 billion – never mind that the non-partisan legislative analyst posted a loss of $73 billion.

Where did the money go? Democratic lawmakers appropriated $3.4 billion to provide health care for illegal immigrants. The homeless-industrial complex gobbled up $24 billion to get people off the streets. The Employment Development Dept. made at least $30 billion in fraudulent payments to criminals, death-row inmates and foreign syndicates. And the never-ending high-speed rail project ballooned to a projected cost of $105 billion.

To partially offset the deficit, legislators proposed $15 billion in new business taxes, which would, of course, be passed on to consumers.

Montrose Shopping Park Association, take note.

Les Hammer
Pasadena

Opines on Half-Cent Sales Tax for Housing

I believe it is very important for citizens to directly vote on taxes in local elections instead of having the taxes imposed on them by the government. Therefore, I support putting the [half-cent sales tax for housing] on the ballot to have more direct representation for the people in our community.

However, on the question of whether or not I am for the passing of this tax, I am strongly against the tax being imposed on local citizens. Personally, I am an advocate of free-market capitalism and small government. 

Therefore, I believe that this tax should not be imposed because it is taking more money out of the hands of the hardworking American people that they should be able to use for their personal benefit to better provide for themselves and their families. I believe that Americans already pay way too much money towards property, state, federal and other taxes that are way higher than they should be so I believe raising even more taxes on everyday Americans exacerbates the already disastrous problem of having only a small amount of money to provide for themselves and their families after money from taxes is removed from their monthly income.

Barden Willis

*Barden is a Life Scout in Boy Scouts of America for Troop 319 in La Crescenta. He is 17 years old and a student at Crescenta Valley High School. He will be entering his senior year in the fall.