Repeal of Proposition 10 Tobacco Surtax. Initiative Statute.
	Argument in Favor of Proposition 28

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

"What's best for children?" That's the essence of Prop 28.

Prop 28 repeals Prop 10. It stops a $700,000,000 per year bureaucracy that is supposed to work on "early childhood development." Prop 28 cuts taxes on citizens who smoke. It sends the issues to the Legislature.

When can $700,000,000 per year be bad for children?

1) When the money is wasted. The Office of the Independent Legislative Analyst stated that neither county nor state officials oversee or control the spending. The Analyst concluded "it will be a challenge to ensure that the funds will be spent effectively".Not one penny has yet been spent on children.Not one penny has yet been spent on education.Not one penny has yet been spent on tobacco research or to prevent teen smoking. Prop 10 participants have been told that no idea is too expensive or too crazy. In Los Angeles County, agencies already spend $3.8 billion annually on over 200 programs for children and parents outside of Prop 10.

2) When the money is spent to subsidize the rich and powerful. The primary use for Prop 10 funds has been to publicize Rob Reiner. A political infrastructure is being built for his use. Local politicians fight over who gets to dispense this money.

3) When the money is used to drive people out of business. Private child care providers can't participate in Prop 10 deliberations. Socialized child care--along with loss of choice, more bureaucracy and rules, and a decline in quality--appears to be the goal of Prop 10 participants.

4) When the money is used in ways that do harm. Prop 10 advocates talk about "new brain research" that enables bureaucrats to be better parents than parents. This Brave New World approach to raising children contradicts what loving parents know about babies. Babies need love and attention. Money can't buy love and attention. Babies are best when parents find ways to shower them with love and attention.

Optimists believe Prop 10 money will be used to make $700,000,000 per year in suggestions. Suggestions soon become rules. Do you want Hollywood and 58 commissions to make the rules for how to raise children?

The tax itself is also bad.

• The Boston Tea Party said "taxation without representation is tyranny.
• "The United States Constitution was designed to prevent tyranny by the majority.

Prop 10 violated both of those principles. Fewer than one out of four California adults smoke. They can't win an election. Their legislators didn't vote on this. Prop 10 passed because many voters thought they were taxing Big Tobacco. Actually, Big Tobacco doesn't pay this tax. California citizens pay it all .

Prop 10 is a bad law. That's why over 705,000 Californians signed petitions to place this initiative on the ballot.

Big Tobacco hasn't helped the effort to repeal Prop 10.

Who do you want to be your kids' mom? You? Then vote YES! On Prop 28!

NED ROSCOE
President, Cigarettes Cheaper! stores

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