In this time of nearly $5 per gallon gasoline, people losing their homes and the state proposing big tax increases, our Board of Supervisors is being asked to put yet another onerous tax on the people of Kern County. This proposal has no guarantees as to spending priorities.
“We, the citizens of Kern County are cutting back and tightening our belts. Therefore, we urge the Board of Supervisors to not increase the size of government on the backs of the already beleaguered citizens and just say NO to this TAX HIKE proposal”, stated Ken Mettler, president of the BRA.
The proposal to increase the local sales tax by another one percent to 8.25%, is due to the state stealing our local tax funds. Currently, state lawmakers are pilfering money from Kern County and its transportation funds to the tune of $65 million dollars.
Kern County will spend $458 million dollars this fiscal year on mandated welfare costs, an increase of 22% over last year. This is an amount roughly equal to the total budget for the Kern High School District to educate 37,000 students annually. The California legislature needs to get its priorities in order and stop demolishing local government.
The desire for Kern County to provide the necessary matching tax funds for our transportation needs is admirable. But the reality now is that the more we tax ourselves here locally the more funds will be taken from us by a spend thrift state legislature.
