[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY6-YVFvtFQ&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Here is a YouTube video I found — in of all places — on a California Local Government site. Here is some of the big take aways from this video:
1) For those who don’t remember, Jerry Brown was governor then, too. California ‘bailed out’ our local cities with ‘our money’ but claimed that this would only cover that year, because there would be no fund for the next year. Time has proven otherwise.
2) A UCLA Economic forecast predicted that over 450,000 jobs would be lost. As Howard Jarvis predicted, the economy rebounded… until our state and local governments started turning the screws.
3) At the time, the State of California offered their own Prop 8 to try to beat down Prop 13, but the ploy didn’t work with the voters. Even though Los Angeles Teachers received pink slips before the election, the results showed strong support for prop 13.
4) Pay attention to the very modest home shown in the news report that was paying huge taxes in 1978. Many reports from the time exposed the high property tax rates were forcing many retirees and young families from their homes.
Since then, there have been a multitude of studies that have shown how Prop 13 has continued to help the taxpayer of California, in spite of the growth of state and local governments through increases in water, sewer and what Prop 26 supporters last year referred to as ‘hidden taxes in the form of fees.’
We are a one party state from top to bottom… and who really believes this is a good thing?