• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Valley Citizen

Nature, Environment, History & Politics

The Valley Citizen

  • Arts
  • Education
  • Environment
  • History
  • Nature
  • Politics
  • Wit
  • About
  • RSS Icon

Measure L: A Tax Republicans Favor?

August 6, 2016 By Bruce Frohman Leave a Comment

No!
No!

When Modesto Mayor Ted Brandvold ran for office in 2015, he opposed Measure X, which would have increased sales taxes to fund police services. Mayor Brandvold does support Measure L, a one half percent sales tax to fund transportation.

A vast majority of the one billion dollars that will be raised over the twenty five year life of the tax increase will go to fund roads. No money will go to public safety. Mayor Brandvold supports a tax that will take money from Modestans and go primarily to build roads outside of Modesto! So, he did not support a tax that kept all money in Modesto but supported a tax that sends money out of Modesto.

Although Mr. Brandvold said that Modesto needs no money, he supports raising taxes. As a Republican, raising taxes is inconsistent with party doctrine. In fact, the tax increase is being pushed mostly by self-proclaimed conservative Republicans.

At face value, Mr. Brandvold’s position and the position of local fellow Republicans appears illogical.

Explaining the Illogical

Although not always readily evident, everything that happens in politics has a logical explanation. The best way to deduce the logic is to look at the actions.

Measure L will raise a billion dollars. The cost of the amenities promised in the ballot argument and campaign statements in favor of Measure L does not add up to one billion dollars when added to existing tax revenues and anticipated increases in revenues. Since government always spends all of the taxes it collects, what will be the use of undesignated funds? Since Measure L is a transportation tax, it will be used to increase capacity of local roadway to serve NEW urban development. In short, a large portion of Measure L will subsidize development.

Mayor Brandvold has said that he is appointing a committee to look at developer fees. Is the purpose of the committee to determine how fees can be cut? The committee will likely contain a majority of developers and their associates who will set fees too low to pay for the infrastructure needed to serve new development. Modesto’s share of Measure L revenue will then be needed to cover the shortfall in infrastructure fees. Taxpayers will end up subsidizing new growth every time they make a purchase.

Undoubtedly, some readers are pooh-poohing this analysis. Unfortunately, this is the only logical conclusion one can derive from the apparently illogical decisions that have been made thus far. If the Mayor cares to provide an explanation in the comments section of this article, we would all like to read them.

The Matching Funds Argument

Appearing in Measure L campaign statements and the argument in favor of Measure L in the voter handbook is the statement that voters must pass this tax increase so that Stanislaus County can receive matching funds from state and federal governments. Matching funds are granted to road construction projects for the purpose of increasing capacity.

The Measure L campaign statements provide evidence that the intent is to use the money for increased road capacity, but don’t truthfully acknowledge the intent. When the sales tax is used to subsidize road building, the act constitutes taxpayer subsidy of new urban growth; taxpayers are made to pay for infrastructure benefitting new growth. If no growth occurred, no increase in road carrying capacity would be needed.

The Pothole Fix

A billion dollars in additional revenue will be collected if Measure L passes. No potholes should exist after every road is repaved in the county. Don’t expect the potholes to disappear. The money will not be used to fill all of the potholes. Those same potholes will be needed to convince taxpayers to pass another sales tax increase a few years after Measure L passes.

As the lessons of Village One teach us, no matter how much developers are granted, they will always seek more subsidies. They will attempt to influence as many local politicians as they can to get taxpayer money. Measure L is an extension of that effort, giving the public a little of what it wants, but the bulk for special interests.

 

 

Filed Under: Featured, Politics

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Note: Some comments may be held for moderation.

Primary Sidebar

Off The Wire

On Voting Rights, GOP Lawyers Say the Quiet Part Out Loud - The Bulwark
On Voting Rights, GOP Lawyers Say the Quiet Part Out Loud – The Bulwark
Arguing before the Supreme Court, they admit their case isn’t about principle or election integrity, it’s just about winning.
thebulwark.com
Could Biden Be the Most Transformative President in Living Memory? - LA Progressive
Could Biden Be the Most Transformative President in Living Memory? – LA Progressive
Most Transformative President – Biden has the chance to lead a green and digital recovery that would create millions of good jobs.
www.laprogressive.com
Louis DeJoy Is Killing It
Louis DeJoy Is Killing It
While Biden dithers, Trump’s minion wrecks the postal service.
nymag.com
So What if Romney Doesn?t Solve the ?Root Causes? of Poverty?
So What if Romney Doesn’t Solve the Root Causes of Poverty?
We handle problems all the time without dealing with their root causes.
nymag.com
The Facts of Life - The Bulwark
The Facts of Life – The Bulwark
My suggestion last week that perhaps the best way some of us who’ve been conservatives can now help the country is to help the Biden administration succeed, and help the Democratic party move to the center, seems to have stirred up a minor tempest in the conservative teapot. I asked whether one shouldn’t consider allying…
thebulwark.com
WSJ News Exclusive | Texas Electric Bills Were $28 Billion Higher Under Deregulation
WSJ News Exclusive | Texas Electric Bills Were $28 Billion Higher Under Deregulation
Texas’s deregulated electricity market left millions in the dark last week. For the past 20 years, its consumers have paid more for their electricity than state residents who are served by traditional utilities, a WSJ investigation found.
www.wsj.com
The making of Madison Cawthorn: How falsehoods helped propel the career of a new pro-Trump star of the far right
The making of Madison Cawthorn: How falsehoods helped propel the career of a new pro-Trump star of the far right
Cawthorn has emerged as one of the most visible figures among newly arrived House Republicans, who have promoted baseless assertions and pushed a radicalized ideology that has become a driving force in the GOP.
www.washingtonpost.com
Los Angeles Just Opened a Tiny Home Village for the Homeless
Los Angeles Just Opened a Tiny Home Village for the Homeless
The colorful community was built in just 13 weeks!
www.housebeautiful.com
California's coronavirus strain looks increasingly dangerous: 'The devil is already here'
California’s coronavirus strain looks increasingly dangerous: ‘The devil is already here’
California’s coronavirus strain is more transmissible than its predecessors, is more resistant to vaccines and may cause more severe cases of COVID-19.
www.latimes.com
More Than 150 Biz Leaders Endorse Biden's Sweeping COVID Package
More Than 150 Biz Leaders Endorse Biden’s Sweeping COVID Package
More than 150 business leaders from various industries have signed a letter backing President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief…
talkingpointsmemo.com
Exclusive: Defeated and impeached, Trump still commands the loyalty of the GOP's voters
Exclusive: Defeated and impeached, Trump still commands the loyalty of the GOP’s voters
www.usatoday.com
The Christian Prophets Who Say Trump Is Coming Again
The Christian Prophets Who Say Trump Is Coming Again
In the growing community of charismatic Christian prophecy, faith in Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House is a new dividing line.
www.politico.com

Find us on Facebook

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Footer

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Subscribe for Free

* indicates required

Search

• Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 The Valley Citizen

Dedicated to the memory of John Michael Flint. Contact us at thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Editor and publisher: Eric Caine

Website customization and maintenance by Susan Henley Design