We are all feeling the consequences of massive budget deficits impacting nearly every city and county in our state. Police and sheriff’s departments are being slashed, emergency response times are getting longer and fire stations are being closed to help balance budgets. That’s why it’s so important to pass the Taxpayers Right to Vote Act on the June ballot. Voters should have the right to say if and when local governments choose to borrow or spend our money to get into the retail electricity business.
The Sacramento Sheriff’s Department laid off 122 deputies in 2009, and the local fire district, which had a $9 million deficit, voted to close three fire stations, adversely impacting emergency response times.
As local governments struggle to fund the most essential and basic services, local leaders in several communities are working to spend millions of public dollars or incur public debt to get into the retail electricity business. And they do not want the people to vote on it. In tough times like these, voters deserve a voice in this decision.
I was surprised when The Bee chose to side with the politicians. I would think every taxpayer – including The Bee – would want to ensure that politicians receive our approval before entering such risky and costly endeavors.
It is disappointing that The Bee chose to simply ignore our state’s long history of voter approval on major financial investments that could further indebt future generations. Voter approval has helped us hold politicians more accountable and has increased transparency. The Bee chose to prop up the special interests’ arguments. This is about closing a loophole that allows politicians to bypass voters.
The Bee is wrong to think this initiative stops local choice – it actually ensures it. California voters have consistently supported sound proposals brought before them. In fact, between 2002 and 2008, 286 local special tax and bond measures that required a two-thirds vote were approved.
Enough is enough. We cannot bear more cuts to our firefighters, police officers and sheriffs’ deputies, and we must have a say before politicians can commit us and our children to more spending and debt we cannot afford. That’s why I support the Taxpayers Right to Vote Act.