North county cities are getting into the big-government act. La Habra has joined Brea in moving forward with a ballot measure to raise the sales tax in the city. These cities spend enormous amounts of money on nonsense and have amazingly high administrative salaries, but rather than tighten their belts they try to pick the taxpayers’ pockets. A handful of points: a) City council members believe they can evade personal responsibility for tax-raising by leaving it up to voters; b) many businesses always come out and support the tax (hey, it’s paid mostly by residents); c) cities rarely tighten their belts.
Stay tuned for a follow-up. We’ll take a look at the salaries paid to government workers in both cities.
I bet the mailer proposing the tax will say they will have to close the fire and police stations and maybe the libraries and parks if it fails and it will be Prop 13’s fault.
RF ☺
The mailer for this sales tax increase will NOT say that. they city council is trying to improve the city. if everyone paid a little more money through this sales tax then in the long run it would greatly benifit the city of Brea. half of a percent is not that much money, and if your buying something that is extremely expensive than you can afford to pay a little extra for the benifit of your city. It’s dumb how people are argueing against this. everyone talks about how they want to live in a great, clean, safe city…well all that stuff takes money it doesnt just happen on it’s own. and if we want to improve our city then we should be willing to pay a little extra. Brea’s sales tax is already a great deal lower then many other cities such as LA and Laguna.
and when the oc register wrote how councilman john beauman’s comment about the sales tax was a lie and that he was just saying that, it was completely WRONG! Beauman has the city at heart and I know him. he would only let this appear on a ballot if he knew it would be the right thing for Brea, and he wants the descion to be up to the citizens because it is them who will have to live with it. they should not be putting words into his mouth and altering what he says.
anyway i am obviously in support of this increase and all of the citizens of Brea should be too.
The mailer for this sales tax increase will NOT say that. they city council is trying to improve the city. if everyone paid a little more money through this sales tax then in the long run it would greatly benifit the city of Brea.
half of a percent is not that much money
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Oh brother, another welfare queen TAKING from the MANY to benefit the FEW-like GED educated cops and FF’s.
First, a “little more money” through the sales tax is NOT a little more money-it is tens of millions and it appkies to the poor and middle class far more than those who are more aboe to afford it.
Second, a hlaf a percent?? Who the hell do you think youre kidding??
That is the EXACT same argument Pete Wilson made in 1988 when the Loma Pretea earthquake hit-know what the sales tax was in 1988??? It was 6.5%, so the “little bit more” “temporary half cent” was put into place….Guess what Einstein, that “temporary” sales tax is still here 20 years later, along with 3 other “little hald percent raises” for a total sales tax of close to 10%, sort of like the “temporary” bridge tolls put in place on the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges back in 1936 and 1937…… when do you think those will “temporary” tolls will end???
BTW they keep raising the bridge tolls too! Just a “little” bit every 2 years.
Hey I have an idea,, why not CUT the multi million dollar scam pensions for GED educated cops and FF’s, that would cure all your $$$$ problems.
A recent survey indicated that 95% of Breans were satisfied with the City’s overall performance in providing services; with a majority favoring a ¼ cent sales tax in lieu of cutting those services. Because of the prolonged downturn in the economy and housing, deep cuts will be needed to balance the budget. During the last budget crunch in 2004-05, we reduced cost by restructuring departments and reducing staff. Today we have 34 fewer employees. We outsource what we can to the private sector to further reduce cost. It does not matter how I personally feel about the ¼ cent tax; but, as a member of the City Council I believe, since all the people would be affected by the cuts, the people also have a right to make that determination, and Prop 218 gave the people the exclusive rights to determine if a tax was warranted or not—and not the City Council.
Milt, Brea Citizen,
August 11, 2008
Well, enough people are making comments which is good, but where are the comments by city officials other than the City Council? The people who spend our tax $$$ or who submit budgets to the city council to spend it.
Food for thought— over 50 percent of the people who will pay the tax do not live in Brea and could care less about Brea. As a citizen of Brea I feel it is about time they pay their share for using our facilitates, streets, sewer system,parks, police etc.
Let’s hear from City officials—How about it Tim?
milt