Three fiscal hawks in 76th Assembly District

Guest Commentary
by Brian Brady

Stop Taxing Us, the Carlsbad-based taxpayer advocacy group, held its annual tax day rally in Oceanside last week.  Over 1,000 people watched as three state legislative candidates publicly promised the taxpayers of the 76th Assembly District that each one refuses to vote for higher taxes, refuses to eliminate deductions or credits unless marginal tax rates are reduced, will oppose any and all efforts to amend Proposition 13, and refuses to increase the taxpayers’ contribution to public employee retirement plans.  Joining all three of the Assembly candidates in that pledge were U.S. Senatorial candidate Dan Hughes and Oceanside Councilmen Jerome Kern and Gary Felien.

Sherry Hodges and Farrah Douglas greet the crowd at Oceanside’s annual tax day rally.

Governor Jerry Brown is trying to increase taxes on everybody under the banner of a “millionaire’s tax to improve education.”  The ballot propositions however tell a far different story.  While the proposed income tax hike targets upper income earners, the unintended consequences will be more businesses moving to Texas, Nevada, Wyoming, and other business-friendly states.  The less discussed tax will be a half-cent increase in sales taxes which hits the poorest among us worst.  Low-income earners will shoulder the burden of that sales tax increase when purchasing food, clothing, and transportation,  The beneficiaries of Brown’s proposed largesse won’t be students, rather it will be the teachers’ union.  Brown is taking this tax hike directly to the voters because he knows that the Legislature has tax fighters in it like 76th AD candidates Rocky Chavez, Farrah Douglas, and Sherry Hodges intend to be.

Stop Taxing Us designed “The Promise to California Taxpayers” not to “bully” candidates but to make clear distinctions for voters.  We simply ask candidates questions about their positions, report the answers to those questions to the voters, and report if the candidates break their promises once they’re in office.  That’s exactly what newspapers do.

Voters in the 76th AD have three fiscal hawks from which to choose, each one having made repeated public promises to hold the line on taxes and spending.  Each has staked their name and professional reputation on it.  In our opinion, the voters can’t lose with any one of them.  Former Veterans Agency Chief Chavez, Carlsbad Council Member Douglas, and long-time Legislative Staff Chief Hodges each have the requisite experience and proper motivation to serve the voters in the 76th Assembly District.  Everybody wins with one of them in office.