From the Sacramento Bee

Let the rich pay, Camejo says

The Green Party hopeful would boost education spending, cut sales taxes and amend Prop. 13.

By Herbert A. Sample -- Bee San Francisco Bureau

Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Friday, August 29, 2003

OAKLAND -- Green Party gubernatorial candidate Peter Camejo on Thursday unveiled one of the recall campaign's most detailed and liberal proposals, one he contended would lift California out of its budget morass.

Camejo, who heads an investment brokerage firm he founded, called for strikingly higher income tax rates on Californians who earn more than 0,000 a year, changing Proposition 13 to allow reappraisals of many corporate properties and tax cuts for low-wage earners.

He also proposed restoring hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to K-12 and higher education spending and rescinding fee increases for state university and community college students.

In all, the tax increases would raise an additional .1 billion a year, and the new spending and tax cuts would cost .1 billion, Camejo asserted. That would leave California with a billion surplus if the changes were to be applied to the state's current spending plan, he added.

"We have a crisis," Camejo said. "At least (the wealthy) should pay what the average person pays, and that would balance the budget."

Camejo's plan mirrors in part that of another ideological progressive, independent Arianna Huffington, who described her budget proposal Wednesday. Some of its elements, particularly the increase in taxes on the wealthy and a reassessment of business property, also are similar to a plan unveiled last week by Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, the only prominent Democrat vying to replace Gov. Gray Davis in the Oct. 7 recall election.

But Camejo's approach is markedly different from that of Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger. The actor has not disclosed a specific strategy, though he has said taxes should be raised only in emergencies, spending should be capped by law and the state budget audited.

Schwarzenegger also has said he would repeal the billion increase in vehicle license fees, though he has not detailed how he would account for the lost revenue.

State Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Simi Valley, also has not offered a detailed plan but has centered his campaign on rescinding the license fee and cutting spending. And GOP businessman Peter Ueberroth has said he would call a special legislative session on the budget, implement a tax amnesty program that would raise billion and push for more federal dollars.

Davis early this year proposed a number of structural changes to the state's fiscal policies, but they were essentially ignored by the Legislature.

Officially, the current state budget is balanced after the governor and legislators wrangled over how to close a two-year, billion deficit. But authorities expect another shortfall of billion to appear next year.

Camejo, though, contended that the budget should never have fallen into deficit. He derided Davis' budget policies, accusing the governor of increasing spending at double-digit rates and projecting further rises while cutting taxes on the wealthy.

"The level of incompetence and fiscal irresponsibility displayed by the governor is truly remarkable," Camejo said.

Davis spokesman Peter Ragone defended the governor's budget and fired back at Camejo.

"The level of ignorance here is astounding and shows why this recall has become a circus, not a solution," Ragone said. "Every analyst of any caliber made it clear that the governor's budget proposals this year were the most fair and most balanced around."

Camejo said he would raise state income tax rates, from 9.3 percent to 14.3 percent, for people making at least 0,000 annually, which he said would generate an estimated billion. He also would raise rates by two percentage points for earners making between 0,000 and 0,000 a year, producing billion. The effect of those increases on individuals would be partially offset by the deduction of state income taxes on federal tax returns.

The state would gain .9 billion by altering 1978's Proposition 13 and reappraising some land owned by businesses. Such a move, though, may require voter approval.

Camejo also called for rescinding, over four years, the recently approved tripling of the vehicle license fee and trimming state sales tax rates, which he said hit the poor disproportionately.

On the spending side, Camejo would restore 5 million in cuts to K-12 education and after-school programs. He also would rescind 5 million in cuts to the budgets of the community college, California State University and University of California systems while canceling student fee increases.

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About the Writer

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The Bee's Herbert A. Sample can be reached at (510) 382-1978 or hsample@sacbee.com.

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At a glance

Green Party gubernatorial candidate Peter Camejo has unveiled his budget proposal. He said his plan, if applied to the state's current spending, would leave California with a billion surplus. The plan calls for:

* Higher income tax rates on the highest-earning Californians -- from 9.3 percent to 14.3 percent for people making at least 0,000 annually; and a two-percentage-point increase for earners making between 0,000 and 0,000 a year -- producing billion in total added revenue.

* Changing Proposition 13 to allow reappraisals of many corporate properties.

* Tax cuts for low-wage earners.

* Restoring hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to K-12 and higher education spending and rescinding fee increases for state university and community college students.

...what else would this clown from the Clown Party say?

Blame it on the Rich, blame it on Cain, blame it on the Stones, what the fuck ever.

...for when the rich and the corporations all pack up and leave California? Who's he gonna tax then?

Politicians?

"...for when the rich and the corporations all pack up and leave California? Who's he gonna tax then?"

Total bull shit. This state is a money making cash cow and leaving the

place would not be an option. Just because they want everything and not pay for it is the major part of the problem.

Whatever. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Leaving will indeed be an option if an overzealous tax man sets his sights on the rich folk.

"Just because they want everything and not pay for it is the major part of the problem."

Hmmm...sounds like the Left to me. Only the Left wants other people to pay for it.

stop whining.

No pay, no play.

...for the poor works.

Just ask all those poor guys leaving Cuba in homemade boats.

and where is the popular uprising we've been waiting for since 1961

after the reign of terror and the sanctions by the U.S. ?

Maybe they want to join their terriorsts comrads in Florida and get into the real money dealing drugs.

...was systematically eliminated by your good buddy Castro.

If you see the US as the bad guy in this situation, you're doing so deliberately.

>If you see the US as the bad guy in this situation, you're doing so deliberately.
so why aren't you discussing the acts of terror directed against the Cuban people; forget about the numerous assassination attempts on Castro, by the Central Intelligence Agency?

My bad, we are god's gift of righteousness to the people of the earth.

Sure!

How about Castro's jailing and executing dissidents and those caught attempting to defect?

as predictable as Old Faithful.

The only difference is Old Faithful is a natural phenomenon and Monarchist is a sluggish shill.

"That's a very good thing too because the man is obviously crazy."

That's right, Bush Assmirer. If anyone has an opinion different from yours, they're "crazy." From which mail order company did you get your Psychology Ph.D?

You know, ol' Dio was the loudest shouter of "Shill!" around here.

Then he was exposed as the shill.

Are you trying to get the same done to you?

Now...are you actually stupid enough to think that Castro is the big ol' teddy bear the libbies and annies think he is?

Bill Gates, J D Rockefeller, Morgen, Mellon DuPont, etc. now what do they all have in common?

Money, power and criminal behavior as in fraud theft violent suppression of labor and trusts, this is a term that antitrust laws grew from . Good ol boys and the government they hire.

wrong thread. ops.

--Total bull shit. This state is a money making cash cow and leaving the place would not be an option.--

If leaving is not an option, then why have so many already left?