If it is not Jerry Brown asking to pile on more State taxes, it is Local Government demanding more from the consumer. Well the well pump is dry. People are strident in their distrust of government to spend money in a responsible manner.

Brown might have made superficial cuts in the State Budget but we all found out in recent weeks that the Bureaucracy itself has a life of its own and will cheat, hide and defraud at every opportunity.

JULIET WILLIAMS , of the  Associated Press reports:

Brown was counting on that record to help him sell his November ballot initiative seeking to boost the state sales and income taxes temporarily to close what was a $15.7 billion budget deficit and avoid further cuts to education.

Yet a summer of headlines about state spending scandals and Brown’s own push for some of the nation’s most expensive infrastructure projects has threatened to undermine that carefully crafted message and jeopardize the success of his tax initiative.

There is no way that the State of California deserves another pay raise. We have been taxed to the point of insanity. Just like any other institution or family, California has to live with in its means….. PERIOD!

On the local level… Cities and Towns must learn to live with in their means too. Within the Morongo Basin there is a  tax initiative by the Town of Yucca Valley to raise the sales tax and use taxes by 1% above and beyond the State Sales Tax for 30 YEARS.

The Town Manager of Yucca Valley is telling the constituency that at some future time this general fund tax will be used to fund a sewer system. It might be 5 years or maybe 10 years…. The law and the California State Constitution is pretty clear that one taxing agency can not reallocate taxes to another. It is called commingling of funds… it is felonious.

One of the arguments the Town Manager uses to attempt to gain support is that, better than half of the money generated by the sales tax will be paid for by those of us who live outside the constituent area.  What he does not consider is the fact that not only the town business community is burdened by this but since basin consumers will no longer be attracted to Yucca Valley as a consumer friendly destination. 4 to 5 cents more a gallon for gas, higher prices for hardware, dry goods, restaurants the list goes on. Now the prospects are great for Joshua Tree and even Twentynine Palms for becoming a more attractive place for business to grow.

The Town of Yucca Valley seems hell bent on killing the Golden Goose. It was by its very nature a business friendly town that made it the economic hub of the Morongo Basin. It will be by the town’s own greed that it will be knocked from that lofty perch.

Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man’s world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man’s world
Aha-ahaaa
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It’s a rich man’s world

I can go to Santana’s in 29 Palms, I can go to Enchada’s in 29 Palms, or a dozen other restaurants in both 29 or Joshua Tree. For the increase in gas prices and sales tax, I actually can get a better deal in 29 Palms.

If I lived in Yucca Valley I would be against such a tax….. Being from 29 Palms I say go ahead tax yourselves out of business.

We will shop with our feet.