Point of View: Fee and Tax Repeal

LOS ANGELES, CA (FOX 11 - editorial) - When Governor Brown ran for office in 2010, he promised no new taxes without the vote of Californians. Governor Brown, however, has continually violated the spirit of that promise.

A multibillion dollar road and bridge repair backlog got completely out of control since Governor Brown has been in office.

After years of doing nothing Brown jammed a massive yearly $5.2 billion gas tax fee and vehicle registration fee increase through the legislature to repair deteriorating roads and bridges. The people of California had no say in that decision.

Further Governor Brown supported cap and trade legislation that could add another seventy five cents a gallon to the price of gas. Again with no approval by the people of California.

Now many Californians have started to fight back. A grassroots movement to repeal these taxes through a statewide ballot initiative is beginning to gather steam.

Governor Brown's appointed attorney general, Xavier Becerra, however, has all but stopped that initiative petition from moving forward. In a blatantly partisan omission the attorney general in the wording of the petition made no mention that it would repeal fees and taxes.

Therefore without any reference that the initiative would roll back fees and taxes there is very little chance enough signatures could be gathered to get it on the ballot. The organizers of the initiative drive have had to put it on hold and have filed a lawsuit against the attorney general.

Governor Brown, please ask your attorney general to change the initiative summary to make it clear it will repeal fees and taxes. Let democracy take its' course and let California be heard.

Thanks for listening.
I'd like to hear your Point of View. Email me directly at pov@fox11.com.

Bob Cook
VP/General Manager
FOX 11 News

The views expressed are not necessarily those of the station or its employees.