06 May The Political Reason To Repeal The FP-5 Fire Service Tax
“In every free government, the people must give their assent to the laws by which they are governed. This is the true criterion between a free government and an arbitrary one.” -Robert Bates, Constitutional Convention Delegate
In our previous blog posts, we presented a short history of FP5 while also outlining the moral and legal reasons to justify repeal of the tax. This post will provide reasons why the FP5 tax should be repealed from a political perspective. We hope to convince San Bernardino County politicians that it serves their political self-interest to repeal FP5.
Point #1 – The Political Long View
First, it would be politically astute to champion a restrained approach to local government in California. Supporting FP5 repeal will allow a San Bernardino politician to position themselves as both a small government advocate and a champion of the working class.
California’s large government mind-set, high-taxes, and anti-business regulations are forcing people to vote “no” with their feet. People and businesses are fleeing the state for areas with less intrusive government and a pro-business environment. The recent national census demonstrates this clearly. California lost a seat in the federal House of Representatives while states like Montana, Texas and North Carolina gained seats.
This loss of political power is a direct consequence of a large government approach. As small government states such as Texas and Florida gain political power, it creates a threat to both the Democratic and Republican establishment of California. The powers-that-be have no choice but to change how they play the political game within the state.
FP5 repeal is a solid position for a California politician who is thoughtfully considering the long-view. It is a way to tap into voter anger over the consequences of large government and ride the burgeoning small government wave into office.
Point #2 – Left, Right, Center – The FP5 Tax Offends Everyone!!!
Secondly, the fiscally conservative want local government to live within its means. The FP5 special tax is emblematic of a local government incapable of fiscal self-discipline.
The socially progressive recognize FP5 is a regressive tax. A regressive tax is a type of tax that is assessed regardless of income and is applied uniformly to all situations. This kind of tax is a bigger burden on low-income earners than high-income earners, because the same dollar amount equates to a much larger percentage of their total income earned.
Moreover, California has some of the most expensive housing markets in the country. Making it increasingly difficult for working families to find affordable housing options in San Bernardino County. FP-5 levies an additional tax on properties that will be passed on to renters and homeowners, making it even more difficult for seniors on a fixed income or families already stretched to make ends meet. Consequently, it impacts the poor much more than the rich.
Everyone admits the tax was imposed in violation of the state Constitution and therefore is illegal.
The entire political spectrum is waking up to the fact that the true enemy is neither the left nor right. The threat to our democracy is an ever-expanding bureaucracy that is unconstrained by insider politicians. A political operative that recognizes this opportunity should be able to exploit this by supporting repeal of this special tax that everyone despises.
Point #3 – A Repeal Position Equals a Powerful Coalition
Lastly, support for FP5 repeal provides the opportunity for a professional politician to stand up to special interest groups that dominate local politics. Championing the hopes and dreams of the hard-working people of California is the new path to success in California politics. Playing the insider to big government special interests will soon be a political loser. The simple step of supporting FP5 repeal would gain support from progressives by championing tax relief for the poor. It will also garner support from high-propensity, politically active voters that want local government to control spending.
This is an all-comers alliance and the perfect foundation for the politician interested in a new coalition in the new California politics.
Read previous posts:
Why Repeal the FP-5 Fire Tax? – First Principles
The Legal Reason To Repeal The FP-5 Fire Service Tax