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So much for SLO’s Measure G

March 5, 2018
T. Keith Gurnee

T. Keith Gurnee

OPINION by T. KEITH GURNEE

In 2014, the citizens of the City of San Luis Obispo voted to approve a half-cent sales tax known as Measure G. Set to sunset in 2022, it was sold to the voters as a “temporary” tax hike to fund a set of hyped capital improvement projects.

Fast forward to yesterday’s announcement that the city was considering yet another 1 percent sales tax hike to fund another batch of capital improvements. But buried in that article was the statement by Public Works Director Daryl Grigsby that Measure G funds are only used for “the maintenance of existing facilities.”

How quickly our city forgets. No, it didn’t forget. This was deliberate! So much for that list of 2014 capital improvement projects.

Well city voters, it’s time for you to realize that you’ve been fooled by a classic “bait and switch” committed by your own city government. And now they want to fool you again!
Don’t fall for it. Make our government live within its means like the rest of us have to do.


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I remember 25+ years ago when California was in the midst of a “build more prisons” fenzy that they put to the voters a huge bond issue to pay for more lockup facilities. The people declined. The next go ’round was a huge bond issue for “rebuilding and retrofitting our bridges and over passes;” it passed. The state would have had to spend the money anyway to upgrade the infrastructure, but by having a bond issue to put on their credit account, they were able to redirect the billions to building new prisons. Ever since then I have regarded every “special project” tax increase or bond issue to be a way of diverting the general fund monies to a hidden purpose.


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Keith you are exactly right. All these taxes never go where they are supposed to go. Vote NO on ANY tax increase. There will never be enough money until we pay down debt and reduce government expenses. It is shameful that San Luis Obispo owes almost $160 MILLION to CalPERS. That is where your tax dollars are going, not to roads, trees, or anything else. Wake up people. The city is robbing the poor to pay the rich their outrageous pensions. Vote no on any and all new taxes.


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Well, let’s see….loss of revenue from the county’s largest (private) employer – driven mostly by a handful of zealots, a looming pension crisis….hmmm, yup sounds a perfect time to raise taxes in a wish list. What could go wrong?


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Ladies & Gentlemen,


I agree with Mr. T. Keith Gurney!


This attempt by Heidi Harmon and the phony SLO Progressives to once again take more cash out of the private economy in order to feed the ever-hungry liberal wish-list is completely inappropriate, and I hope voters reject this nonsense.


If you like government bossing you around, if you like progressives deciding important things for you, if you have extra money to give to the government, then, by all means, vote yes on this tax hike.


If. on the other hand, you think government too ought to live within its means, then vote NO and let’s retain control of our government, and our wallets.


George Bailey


0

I like the part where that goober says that the citizens want this so we need to do it, I haven’t read where the citizens want a new police department, or a zillion dollars spent on the mission area or bike trails, when are these people going to quit spending the peoples money foolishly


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The federal income tax, enacted in 1913′ was supposed to be temporary to help pay for the war. How did that one turn out?


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Keith…please send this to the Tribune!!


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Thanks! I tried and they said no…


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“And now they want to fool you again!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHhrZgojY1Q


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Love it! That should be the theme song for the campaign against the tax increase!


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