CUTTING TAXES - I HAVEN'T JUST TALKED ABOUT IT

By Jeff Stone

I say legislators lose their salary for the year if they don't pass a budget by July 1 and if it contains taxes it triggers a statewide election to approve.

I don't just talk about it, I have actually done it.

In 1997 as a councilman, I created REST (Revenue Excess Sharing in Temecula), a citywide economic development program to attract businesses to our community. But REST was also designed to return new tax revenues created by the program back to local taxpayers. Since its inception in 1997, over $47.5 million dollars have been returned back to Temecula's taxpayers.

In 2008 our national economy collapsed, families here were losing their homes at an alarming rate. As a county supervisor I demanded that we streamline our property tax assessment system immediately to make it easier and quicker for families to get their taxes cut so they could keep their homes. As a result our county residents have saved millions on property taxes and many have been saved from losing their homes.

In 2009 the Legislature raised taxes on all of California's struggling families. I said enough is enough! Sacramento is addicted to spending and I need to do something to stop them. So I mounted an internet campaign called NOWAY1A opposing the propositions in the May Special Election, but specifically Proposition 1A.

I put my money where my mouth is and did something!

I spent $35,000 of my own campaign funds to defeat Proposition 1A, which would have increased taxes on families by $16 billion and done nothing to stop the runaway government spending that the legislature is addicted to. I am proud that I was named a co-chair against the propositions with other conservatives like Tom McClintock, Michael Reagan and Michelle Steel.

To paraphrase President Ronald Reagan, "We don't have a 20 billion-dollar debt in California because we haven't taxed enough; we have a 20 billion-dollar debt because we spend too much."

I have always been a strong anti-tax advocate. I have previously pledged and continue to maintain a NO NEW TAXES pledge as long as I am an elected leader. I will always fight to cut existing taxes wherever possible and I will fight further regulations imposed on individuals and businesses.

California government does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. Before it's too late we must stop the spending, stop the waste, fraud and abuse, it's time to reclaim California from the spending addicted politicians, it's time for responsible adults to lead and make California, the golden state golden again.