Schwarzenegger: Tax Hike May Be Necessary

[Drift3r]

Schwarzenegger: Tax Hike May Be Necessary

Schwarzenegger: Tax Hike May Be Necessary
Wed Mar 31,11:20 AM ET

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger hinted that raising taxes may be unavoidable, acknowledging he is under extreme pressure to offset a $14 billion budget shortfall.

"I'm going through wishful thinking that I'll never have to go there," the Republican governor told reporters Tuesday in a series of interviews. "Because I just don't like it. I try to work around and find ways so we don't have to do that."

Schwarzenegger has opposed raising taxes. His first official act after taking office was to roll back the much-criticized $4 billion increase in the car tax.

In the interviews Tuesday, he did not rule out a tax hike but said an increase would punish ordinary Californians for the state's mistake of overspending.

Schwarzenegger's communications director, Rob Stutzman, said the governor was not changing his opposition on taxes but "expressing his optimism for a solution without taxes."

"Once he is set on a direction, he's relentless, and he is set on solving the budget without tax increases," Stutzman said.

Schwarzenegger said he needs to further review budget forecasts in the next weeks to decide whether to raise taxes. "When I look at the numbers, I can make up my mind about what that means," he said.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&e=1&u=/ap/schwarzenegger_taxes

 

[thomsbrain]

if he does end up hiking them, we'll have proof that accents are no barrier to lying to the public.

 

[Pepsei]

Are you saying that a liberal is better since they tell you up front that they will raise taxes? Maybe that's why GHWB lost the re-election.

 

[XZeroII]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
if he does end up hiking them, we'll have proof that accents are no barrier to lying to the public.

Or he could pull a fast one like our governor here in WI and just slash funding for counties, thus the counties had to jack taxes considerably to make up the difference. Yup, he claims credit for keeping his word and not raising taxes. Freaking liberals. I'd rather have the governor just come out and say that a raise in taxes are needed rather than jerking the public around like our governor did.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: XZeroII

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
if he does end up hiking them, we'll have proof that accents are no barrier to lying to the public.

Or he could pull a fast one like our governor here in WI and just slash funding for counties, thus the counties had to jack taxes considerably to make up the difference. Yup, he claims credit for keeping his word and not raising taxes. Freaking liberals. I'd rather have the governor just come out and say that a raise in taxes are needed rather than jerking the public around like our governor did.

To be fair XZeroII, the tactic of shifting the burden down the food chain to make yourself look good is used by both liberals and conservatives. I think its horsesh|t as well. I'd rather they just raise taxes some and be honest about it. I'm a big boy, I can swallow my medicine. To bad telling people what they want to hear gets results.

 

[Jhhnn]

Ayup- Reality rears its ugly head. Government, even small government, still costs money. The real battle is in terms of who's going to pay for it and how. Borrowing and deficits merely mask the problem temporarily, actually making it worse in the long run. Instead of paying as we go, we get to pay interest on borrowed money, too...

Good luck, Arnold. One thing's for sure, your Republican "friends" in Washington won't be doing diddly to help you out- they're pushing it all down to the state level, who get to push it all down to the counties and munis, who get to push it down on the little guy in the form of sales, property and head taxes... If you're making tens or hundreds of millions annually, though, your federal income taxes won't be any higher a percentage than for guys making a hundred grand or so... Republicanism- Aint it Grand?

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: XZeroII

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
if he does end up hiking them, we'll have proof that accents are no barrier to lying to the public.

Or he could pull a fast one like our governor here in WI and just slash funding for counties, thus the counties had to jack taxes considerably to make up the difference. Yup, he claims credit for keeping his word and not raising taxes. Freaking liberals. I'd rather have the governor just come out and say that a raise in taxes are needed rather than jerking the public around like our governor did.

Wasn't there a tax hike freeze put on the counties and municipalities? Last time I was up there, Scott Suder was getting pounded by that issue by the local hometown people.

CkG

 

[XZeroII]

Originally posted by: CADkindaGUY

Originally posted by: XZeroII

Originally posted by: thomsbrain
if he does end up hiking them, we'll have proof that accents are no barrier to lying to the public.

Or he could pull a fast one like our governor here in WI and just slash funding for counties, thus the counties had to jack taxes considerably to make up the difference. Yup, he claims credit for keeping his word and not raising taxes. Freaking liberals. I'd rather have the governor just come out and say that a raise in taxes are needed rather than jerking the public around like our governor did.

Wasn't there a tax hike freeze put on the counties and municipalities? Last time I was up there, Scott Suder was getting pounded by that issue by the local hometown people.

CkG

Nope, the liberals shot it down. It was proposed by republicans because of how much most counties were going to have to raise taxes to pay for the cuts they recieved (expected 10% - 15% increases in property taxes), but the democrats pulled together and said that it would hurt the local gov't Thanks for thinking of the people...

 

[biostud]

Something I wonder is: When will a politician in US say: "We need to raise the tax"?
When the economy is bad it's lowered, when the economy is good it's lowered, seems like a wonder cure for everything.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: biostud666
Something I wonder is: When will a politician in US say: "We need to raise the tax"?
When the economy is bad it's lowered, when the economy is good it's lowered, seems like a wonder cure for everything.

People who have real solutions to problems don't get elected, or re-elected. People vote for whoever tells them what they want to hear, not what the need to hear. If there is a plan that causes short term loss, but more long term gain...its dead in the water.

 

[sandorski]

Promising to raise taxes is political suicide. Let's consider the current charge from the Bush campaign concerning Kerry: In one Ad Kerry is stated to be wanting to raise Gas Taxes by 0.50c/gallon. Pretty scary stuff except for the fact that Kerry didn't say that was his intent. The 0.50c/gallon Gas Tax figure is based on a Bill that Kerry voted in favour of approx 10 Years Ago!! Why the far reach for a smear on Kerry? Tax Hikes are Political Fodder.

 

[SuperTool]

My guess is Arnie will do nothing and be here with another bond measure come next year. I am a liberal, but even I can see, CA is spending too much money.