XPost: talk.politics.guns, alt.politics.elections, sac.politics   
   XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh   
   From: pothead@snakebite.com   
      
   On 2024-06-21, Communism In California  wrote:   
   > The California Supreme Court has blocked an anti-tax ballot measure that   
   > faced fierce opposition from local officials, unions and activists in Santa   
   > Clara County.   
   >   
   > The panel’s unanimous decision on Thursday orders Secretary of State   
   Shirley   
   > Weber not to place the measure on the November ballot, which if approved   
   > would have brought all statewide tax increases before voters and raised the   
   > voter approval threshold for local tax initiatives seeking to raise revenue   
   > for government services. It would have also reclassified fees for public   
   > services and programs as taxes, requiring voter approval for things such as   
   > library fines.   
   >   
   > “Such changes would substantially overhaul how local governments go about   
   > ensuring that everyday services are properly provided. In sum, the   
   > (proposal) would affect all local revenue measures — big or small,   
   essential   
   > or nonessential — to an extent that leaves no aspect of government   
   > untouched,” the court’s opinion reads.   
   >   
   > The measure had qualified for the ballot, prompting a lawsuit by Gov. Gavin   
   > Newsom and the state Legislature seeking to stop it from going to voters. It   
   > would have applied retroactively to January 2022 — effectively canceling   
   any   
   > special taxes approved in Santa Clara County in recent years.   
   >   
   > That prompted a passionate rally among Santa Clara County activists, union   
   > leaders and Democratic elected officials in May, who called the measure a   
   > ploy by corporations to avoid paying their share for things such as   
   > development impact fees associated with construction projects, which can   
   > help communities fund infrastructure improvements. Others called it a   
   > logistical nightmare jeopardizing funding for essential services and   
   > canceling as many as eight recently passed ballot measures in Silicon Valley   
   > — totaling $64.3 million in annual losses in jurisdictions such as Los   
   Gatos   
   > and Palo Alto.   
   >   
   > “Im very happy that the measure the court saw the measure for what it is   
   and   
   > we won’t have to put a lot of resources into protecting sources of revenue   
   > for cities and local governments this fall,” San Jose Councilmember David   
   > Cohen, an outspoken opponent of the tax measure, told San José Spotlight.   
   >   
   > The $17 million campaign for the measure has been spearheaded by the   
   > California Business Roundtable, composed of senior executives of major   
   > companies up and down the state, such as Apple, General Motors and Procter &   
   > Gamble. It’s also being supported by the real estate industry, namely the   
   > California Business Properties Association. Proponents argue the initiative   
   > closes loopholes that empowered state lawmakers and unelected government   
   > administrators to raise fees for services.   
   >   
   > “Today’s ruling is the greatest threat to democracy California has faced   
   in   
   > recent memory. Governor Newsom has effectively erased the voice of 1.43   
   > million voters who signed the petition to qualify the Taxpayer Protection   
   > Act for the November ballot,” Rob Lapsley, president of the California   
   > Business Roundtable, said in a statement. “Most importantly, the governor   
   > has cynically terminated Californians’ rights to engage in direct democracy   
   > despite his many claims that he is a defender of individual rights and   
   > democracy. Evidently, the governor wants to protect democracy and individual   
   > rights in other states, but not for all Californians.”   
   >   
   > Contact Brandon Pho at brandon@sanjosespotlight.com or @brandonphooo on X,   
   > formerly known as Twitter.   
   >   
   > https://sanjosespotlight.com/silicon-valley-santa-clara-county-san-jose-   
   > voters-wont-see-anti-tax-measure-on-november-2024-ballot-california-   
   > supreme-court/   
      
   California has to pay for all the illegal migrants freebies somehow.   
   Classic democratic tax and spend.   
      
   --   
   pothead   
   Joe Biden is the absolute WORST President Of the U.S. ever.   
   Nobody else is even close. Including Jimmy Carter.   
   Vote for ANYBODY but Joe Biden in 2024.   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)