Contributor

John Campbell

John Campbell (R-Irvine) is an Assemblyman representing the 70th District in Orange County. Mr. Campbell is the Vice-Chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee. He is the only CPA in the California State legislature and recently received a national award as Freshman Republican Legislator of the Year. He represents the cities of Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Woods and Lake Forest. He can be reached through his Assembly website and through the website for his California Senate campaign.

A Budget Stalled
Going nowhere fast
[John Campbell] 6/28/03

As we approach the June 30th deadline for enacting a state budget, here are some of the activities that have been going on this week. As you will see, this activity is akin to that of a running car engine not connected to any wheels -- it makes lots of noise and throws out power, but it's not going anywhere.

• The State Senate twice this week took up the Democrat Senators' budget which raises taxes, increases spending and debt. Both times all Democrats present voted for the bill and no Republicans voted for it. When will they get it that Republicans will not allow a terrible budget like that to pass.
• The Assembly Democrats ran around the state this week in what we are calling the Democrats "Tax and Spend Tour 2003" trying to convince people in Orange County and other places to raise a cheer for more and more taxes. They were not well received. Duh. The Speaker actually said that "people will die" if we don't raise taxes. Do they have any concept of what happens to the budgets of real working families out there when you take away money they have earned? Are the priorities of those families for their own money meaningless? Is the health care of their children and parents without concern just because they pay for it out of their own pockets rather than out of taxpayersÅf pockets? Is a private sector job worthless and a government job the only one worth keeping? Give me a break.
• The illegal 300% car tax increase is being fought on two major fronts. First is the lawsuit which should be filed next week. Second is an initiative recently filed to repeal the tax altogether, which would reach the ballot if it qualifies in November 2004. Be assured that many people are working hard to stop this shameful abuse of power.
• The State Controller pointed out that if there is no budget by June 30th, the state will stop paying vendors, will reduce payments to schools and community colleges and eventually will pay state workers only minimum wage. So, the affects of the Democrats insistence on tax increases in a budget will start to have real consequences - again. If they get their way, we will be right back here again next year with another deficit and a demand for more tax increases or "people will die".
  

The Governor and Legislative Democrats may not have learned from their mistakes of the past 4 years. But the people have learned. And the people will not support tax and spending increases again. And neither will we.