Let’s start here; the Republican Party is the “no new taxes” party. The glaring reason is well, obvious; the federal, state, and local governments collect plenty of taxes already. The secondary reasons are: governments are horrible stewards of money and they have too much power over our lives.
Thus, the Republican Party is the “no new taxes” party. Nationally, we ask our federal candidates to sign a pledge to oppose new taxes. Statewide, we ask our statewide and legislative candidates to sign that pledge. Locally, our standing policy is “no new taxes”. If you run as an endorsed Republican, especially in San Diego County, the compact with the voters is that you will OPPOSE any new taxes.
A few Republicans on SANDAG think they have a cute way around this compact; they intend to approve a proposed tax ballot initiative. Rather than do what we elected them to do, they cloak their support for higher taxes in the “it’s not supposed to be MY call…let the VOTERS decide“. Poppycock. The voters “decided” when we elected you to office with the understanding that you would oppose any attempts at new taxation.
In a representative form of government, we elect people to make decisions about taxation and spending. If you are an elected Republican in San Diego County, voters expect that you will OPPOSE any and all efforts to raise taxes.
Break that compact and you will be elected out of office; it’s that simple. I don’t care how nice you are at Republican Party monthly meetings, how generous you are at the Lincoln-Reagan dinner, or how much fun that “remote” SANDAG retreat was– you were elected to oppose any and all efforts to add new taxes. It would be better if you CUT taxes, but you certainly have to oppose ANY effort to raise taxes.
Break that compact, you’re out. You can operate the sky gondola for your next career.