Press Editorial
February 16, 2010
By Staff
In a perfect world, state Republicans would be right. The Democratic-controlled Legislature is on the verge of relaxing a voter-approved referendum that requires a two-thirds majority to raise taxes. The House version of the bill would return the two-thirds majority requirement in July 2011. We like that.Republicans, reliably opposed to most tax hikes argue that the Democrats are subverting the will of the people. They’re right, up to a point. Republicans argue that before suspending the initiative, Democrats should attempt to propose a tax hike that wins that two-thirds majority.
Democrats already enjoy a huge majority and would only need to sway four representatives and two senators to achieve the threshold. We agree they should try, but the attempt would be a fool’s errand. When voters approved the measure mandating the two-thirds threshold, we imagine they thought legislators would be reasonable and actually consider a proposal on its merits. Instead, both parties simply adhere to an entrenched ideology that makes compromise impossible.
No matter what tax increase the Democrats propose, Republicans will predictably be in lockstep opposition to it. This lack of willingness to compromise is what forces the Democrats hand.
The Democrats are doing what they must in an emergency situation. The need to cut $2.8 billion from the budget while keeping up education, public safety, social services, prisons and justice, highway repairs and more —without bankrupting the state — does make this a near crisis. It will be up to each of us as citizens to perk up our watchdog ears to ensure that any tax increases are appropriate and as limited as possible.
The Dems may be willing to step up and do the nasty deed of raising taxes, but they will be walking a tightrope with the voters who will remember that those taxes had better be minimal and have a legitimate need and purpose.
Democrats, of course, also suffer from ideological problems. Their unwillingness to open state employee’s union contracts that provide pay increases leaves a bitter taste if/when the legislators propose a tax hike.
The voters are watching. The state budget will surely set the tone for the fall elections.
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