If you’d ask John Q. Public his opinion on taxes, the answer you would receive would probably be the title of this post. And politicians who forget this are usually in for a surprise.
This November Californians will vote for Governor. On one hand, current Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has pledged no new taxes. Meanwhile, his Democratic opponent, Phil Angelides, pledges new taxes, or cuts in what his spokesman calls “corporate tax loopholes.”
One of those loopholes is a 5% sales tax exemption on liquid petroleum gas (lpg), farm equipment, and diesel fuel. Angelides wants to close this loophole. And surprise, farmers aren’t happy about this.
Benny Jefferson told the Monterey Herald, “Farming is good. Tax relief is good. Taxes are bad. Phil Angelides is disrespectful.”
This isn’t good news for Agnelides. Another farmer, Wayne Gularte, stated in the same story, “[This tax change] certainly could put me out of business.”
Angelides may want to study California’s election history. Close elections are invariably decided in the agriculturally rich, politically conservative Central Valley. And the major industry of the Valley is agriculture.
Contrast Angelides with the Governator, who told the Sacramento Bee, “I totally rule it out. I will not raise taxes.” Polls currently show Schwarzenegger ahead 44% to 37%.