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Argument Against Proposition 217

Arguments on this page are the opinions of the authors and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency.


TAXES IN CALIFORNIA ALREADY ARE TOO HIGH! But if Proposition 217 passes, California would effectively have the highest personal income tax rate in the country.

RETROACTIVE TAX INCREASE

Proposition 217 imposes a retroactive and PERMANENT TAX INCREASE on income earned since January 1, 1996.

HURTS SMALL BUSINESS

Its promoters may have intended to soak the rich, but Proposition 217 would really hurt the state's small business owners. Eighty (80) percent of California's businesses pay personal, NOT corporate income taxes.

And that hurts all of us!

HIGHER TAXES FOR SMALL BUSINESS MEAN LESS MONEY FOR JOBS AND SALARIES

Small businesses are the engine driving California's economic recovery. In fact, small companies are creating 60% of all our new jobs. It just doesn't make sense to saddle these job-creators with higher taxes.

If Proposition 217 passes, some companies may decide enough is enough and move their businesses and the jobs they provide OUT of California to states with lower income tax rates.

NO GUARANTEES OR ACCOUNTABILITY

Proposition 217 contains absolutely no guarantees or accountability on how the new tax money will be spent.

Some claim up to 60 percent of the new tax money would be spent on education. But no one knows for sure.

Proposition 217 promoters do not provide any guarantees on how much of this new tax would be spent on schools. Neither do they account for just how that money would be spent. YOUR TAX MONEY COULD END UP PAYING FOR BUREAUCRATS AND ADMINISTRATORS, NOT ON THE KIDS AND IN THE CLASSROOM.

Make no mistake, PROPOSITION 217 IS JUST MORE MONEY DOWN A BUREAUCRATIC BLACK HOLE.

State and local government spending per person in California already is fifteen percent higher than the national average. THE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO IS SEND ANY MORE MONEY TO THE SACRAMENTO POLITICIANS.

BEFORE TAXES ARE RAISED ANOTHER DIME, THE BUREAUCRATS SHOULD TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS, CUT THE WASTE IN GOVERNMENT AND ACCOMPLISH MORE WITH THE BILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS THEY ALREADY HAVE.

PROPOSITION 217 ALSO MESSES WITH OUR PROPERTY TAXES!

Under current law, property taxes pay for public services provided by local agencies where the property is located.

But under Proposition 217, if your city attracts more new employers or new homes, it would be penalized by losing its fair share of property taxes. It could also lead to higher fees on new home buyers and new businesses

Residents of a new city could be subject to DOUBLE TAXATION. They would continue to pay property taxes, but none of these would finance police, fire and other services for residents of the new city. Instead, other local taxes and fees would have to be found.

Proposition 217 may be well-intended, but it contains too many provisions with uncertain and even potentially dangerous economic consequences. Proposition 217 is confusing, tries to tackle too many issues and would end up hurting small businesses the most.

TAXES IN CALIFORNIA ALREADY ARE TOO HIGH!

VOTE NO on 217!

LARRY McCARTHY
President, California Taxpayers' Association

RUTH LUNQUIST
Small Business Owner (Herald Printing)

MARTYN B. HOPPER
California State Director, National Federation of
Independent Business (NFIB)


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