I read a column (Oct. 13) by Jonathan Kraut where he gave his voter guide. I would like to comment on his claim that: “My subsequent guide is from a fiscally conservative and socially liberal point of view.” To prove his fiscally conservative bona fides, he says: “Yes on Proposition 3 makes permanent an existing state tax on those with net incomes over $371,000. This income funds schools and supplements health care services.”
Nothing says fiscally conservative like keeping the nation’s highest income tax rate of 13.3% to fund failing schools and fraud-ridden health care services.
Then he says of Prop. 38: “Prop. 38 is up to you. Is it worth investing $10-12 billion into immunology medical research? Half these funds would support University of California medical projects. I am voting yes, but I can understand if someone refrains from approving expenditures on science and medical cures.”
Nothing says fiscally conservative like voting for yet another bond and another waste of money. This shows again the ineptitude of our Legislature. But why should they actually do their job and pass laws for this kind of expenditure when they have so many “fiscal conservatives” like Kraut voting to do their job for them.
Where he reveals himself as anything but a fiscal conservative is on Prop. 40: “Yes on Prop. 40 imposes a 5% property tax on the estimated 200 California residents with assets of at least $1 billion. These collections would be primarily designated for health care.”
It’s like he doesn’t realize how much expenditures have gone up, especially for health care. But for “fiscal conservatives” like Kraut, there is never enough money and there is no problem money can’t fix despite evidence to the contrary. I wonder if he knows the results of a wealth tax in France when they tried it?
He is against Prop. 39 because it might cost “tens or hundreds of millions of dollars” for citizens to do a rudimentary task of proving they’re allowed to vote. When it comes to making sure the vote is legal, this is where “fiscal conservatives” like Kraut come out to play.
Brian Richards
Stevenson Ranch
