NBC Touts Californians Who Support Higher Taxes
Saturday's NBC Nightly News hyped a poll finding that 64 percent of Californians would be willing to pay more taxes "if the money went to public schools." (Video below)
Substitute anchor Kate Snow included a plug for the report in the opening teaser: "Tax hike. Why people in one state are saying 'Bring it on.' Tonight, why they're willing to pay more."
Before a commercial break, she plugged the segment again:
When Nightly News continues on this Saturday evening, why some people are saying: Go ahead, raise my taxes.
As she introduced the story, after noting that in California the state is "struggling to live within its means," Snow added:
But something unusual is happening in California. The cuts have been so severe that some people are actually saying they could live with higher taxes.
After a clip of a school teacher complaining about the budget cuts, correspondent George Lewis declared:
And now, Californians are contemplating something that would have been unthinkable previously. In a poll conducted by the Los Angeles Times and the University of Southern California, 64 percent of Californians said they would pay more taxes if the money went to public schools.
After a soundbite of former Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg arguing that Californians would be willing to support an increase in some taxes if they believe the money is not wasted, Lewis warned that anti-tax sentiment may yet thwart plans to raise taxes:
GEORGE LEWIS: But this is the state where a guy named Howard Jarvis led a taxpayer revolt in 1978, passing an initiative called Proposition 13, dramatically slashing property taxes. His legacy lives on with organized opposition to any new proposed tax hikes.
JON COUPAL, HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION: I think the public reaction would be very negative. California voters have rejected the last seven proposed state-wide tax increases.
Lewis concluded:
California has been hit harder by budget cuts than most other states. And the looming battle will test whether the people here have had a change of heart about taxes and the value of government services.
Below are both video and a complete transcript of the report from the Saturday, December 31, NBC Nightly News:
KATE SNOW, IN OPENING TEASER: Tax hike: Why people in one state are saying bring it on. Tonight, why they're willing to pay more.
...
SNOW, BEFORE COMMERCIAL BREAK: When Nightly News continues on this Saturday evening, why some people are saying: Go ahead, raise my taxes.
...
KATE SNOW: Starting tomorrow, a big new round of budget cuts will take place in California, which, like so many other states, is struggling to live within its means. But something unusual is happening in California. The cuts have been so severe that some people are actually saying they could live with higher taxes. More tonight from NBC's George Lewis.
GEORGE LEWIS: A lot of glitter has gone out of the Golden State. A tough economy and high unemployment have left the public coffers empty and the governor announcing $1 billion in painful cuts.
GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN (D-CA): This is not the way we'd like to run California, but we have to live within our means.
LEWIS: Everything from welfare programs to libraries to education, one of the areas hardest hit. With widespread protests over tuition hikes at state universities, and elementary schools cutting the number of teaching days.
TRACY OUTMAN, CALIFORNIA TEACHER: These are the kids that are going to be running our country someday. Are they really going to be ready?
LEWIS: And now, Californians are contemplating something that would have been unthinkable previously. In a poll conducted by the Los Angeles Times and the University of Southern California, 64 percent of Californians said they would pay more taxes if the money went to public schools. To help the schools and other vital services, Californians will get to vote on at least one initiative next year to raise state taxes. Governor Brown has filed an initiative that would increase sales taxes one-half cent and hike income taxes on millionaires by as much as two percent.
ROBERT HERTZBERG, FORMER CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY SPEAKER: What we know is folks are willing to pay for the bills as long as they know their money's not being wasted.
LEWIS: But this is the state where a guy named Howard Jarvis led a taxpayer revolt in 1978, passing an initiative called Proposition 13, dramatically slashing property taxes. His legacy lives on with organized opposition to any new proposed tax hikes.
JON COUPAL, HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION: I think the public reaction would be very negative. California voters have rejected the last seven proposed state-wide tax increases.
LEWIS: California has been hit harder by budget cuts than most other states. And the looming battle will test whether the people here have had a change of heart about taxes and the value of government services. George Lewis, NBC News, Los Angeles.
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Comments
Oh yes, that elusive group
Submitted by dr-go on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 2:46am.
often referred to as " some say".
SNOW, BEFORE COMMERCIAL BREAK: When Nightly News continues on this Saturday evening, why some people are saying: Go ahead, raise my taxes.
Must be some sort of a hidden tribe that emerges when no one else will justify the absurd claims made by airhead news readers.
As time goes on
Submitted by KornKing on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 10:21am.
"some say" gets pounded on for a while, and then morphs into "well, everyone knows"
stupid is as stupid does
Submitted by MidAmerica on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 2:48am.
TRACY OUTMAN, CALIFORNIA TEACHER: These are the kids that are going to be running our country someday. Are they really going to be ready?
Californians running this country!!! oh gawd let's hope not.
"Californians running this
Submitted by MikeB on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 1:36pm.
"Californians running this country!!! oh gawd let's hope not."
While Ronald Reagan was not born in California, moving there when he was 26, he spent most of his life there. He did a very good job of running the country while he was President.
I have thought for a long time that since the leftists love a progressive income tax, and the right wants either the (un)fair tax or a flat tax, the two sides could compromise in the following manner: put a line in the tax forms, "DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE A LIBERAL OR PROGRESSIVE?" If the answer is yes, the taxpayer is placed in a flat 90% income tax bracket. If the answer is no, the taxpayer is assessed a flat 10%. That way, those who say their taxes are too low can put up or shut up.
Also, as to school funding, my parents grew up during the Great Depression. It was a time when there was no money, and unemployment percentage was in double digits for many years. Yet, parents were expected and required to BUY their kids' school books, just like in college today. At the end of the school year, the system bought back the books if they weren't ruined. Any books lost were replaced at the parents' expense, and those ruined were not repurchased by the school system. This gave parents an incentive to make sure their kids took care of the books and school property. What we have in today's education system is not progress from those times.
unbelievable
Submitted by MidAmerica on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 3:00am.
The politicians pull that same crap about 'it's all for the kids' here in Illinois all the time.
but...
When they must make cuts they cut education and when they want to raise taxes it's always for the kids.
Bait and switch
Submitted by In Excess on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 3:25am.
Here in Illinois they were proposing a state lottery in the 80's that would generate 300 million dollars annually and all 300 million would go to the schools of Illinois. The politicians didn't mention that the existing 300 mil that funded the schools before the lottery would be transfered to other projects. Net result for public schools was 0 dollars.
Here in NC an education
Submitted by ricklail on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 9:53am.
Here in NC an education lottery was passed. It worked for a few years. School go some of the money. More and more often the governor has robbed the fund for her pet projects. When I heard it's for the chillllllllren I know it is for a pet project.
this is a republic
Submitted by Kuso Jiji on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 3:05am.
put it to vote. see how many people vote for higher taxes. who cares what a few hand picked elitist have to say about he subject.
California's Public Education Spending Myth
Submitted by big.league.slider on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 3:10am.
Cuts in California's public education spending is just a huge myth. Total spending on public education has increased around 3% to 6% each year, and is projected to continue increasing for the foreseeable future. The only "cuts" are reductions in proposed spending increases.
As for California public school kids being our future leaders, that is indeed a frightening prospect. The K-to-12 dropout rate in California public schools is over 50%.
Why not make all schools in Kalifornia....
Submitted by MightyMouth on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 3:16am.
compete for public dollars? Since the west coast is soooo progressive (and we all know progressive thought is sooo much better than traditional thought ) that should appeal to the cool people in CA. And since the east and west coasts of the USA are so much better than us dumb rednecks in the middle maybe they can fix the mess we are in by sheer will power! So lets all close our eyes and click our heels until we get home!
First, most of the money for
Submitted by rbosque on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 3:50am.
First, most of the money for schools is consumed by teacher's salaries and pensions. It kills me when I see kids trying to raise money for school all the while teachers are crying that there is no money. B.S.
Second, for all the money that's thrown at schools, the kids here in California rank 30th in the nation and 1/4 of kids drop out.
This is a state full of dumb-asses. Throw in the importation of 3rd world people with barely a third-grade education and you have a mess! No wonder these dolts voted for Jerry "Moon-beam" Brown.
Yeah, I really love the
Submitted by MikeB on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 1:44pm.
Yeah, I really love the perennial cry of the teachers, "We aren't paid enough!"
Each occurrence requires the B***S*** flag and a 15 yard penalty. In Oklahoma there is a website provided by the State Department of Education, called schoolreportcard dot org. It lists the average (mean) teachers salary in each district in the state, as well as demographic information for those districts, including the median household income. In each district, the average teacher pay is greater than the median income in the district. Teachers are not underpaid.
Good, raise state taxes in
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 3:52am.
Good, raise state taxes in California. I have no desire to pay one more dime, especially when we continue to send money overseas, fund useless studies and work to enlarge the government. California has made no attempt to do anything other than kick the can like their brainless, petty, vain hero obama.
I am a Californian who supports lower taxes. I also...
Submitted by jawebster1 on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 4:33am.
don't watch NBC except for watching an occasional football game and the reason I don't watch anything else on NBC is because of crazy and biased reporting like this.
California is out of Taxpayers
Submitted by insatty on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 5:27am.
The fatal business climate here in California has chased out the productive and the employers. All that is left are rich limosine liberals, public employees, and illegal aliens, most of whom live on the public lucre. So, yeah, there may be a majority that want to raise taxes. But what the voters and the liberal media don't understand is that there is far fewer people here to tax. The teet has gone dry!
Support Higher Taxes
Submitted by hkopcf on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 5:40am.
why didn't that crack NBC reporter ask the teacher if she would be willing to contribute more money towards her pension & medical coverage?
Nailed it hk
Submitted by Cappmann1962 on Tue, 01/03/2012 - 12:27pm.
THAT is the question that should be put to ANYONE who is for raising taxes. Actually, this question should come after asking what their medical and pension benefits are.
Gee, if money were THE answer in public schools...
Submitted by Unsane on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 8:01am.
...can someone explain why NJ and DC schools keep churning out functional illiterates instead of vast armies of Salks, Shakespeares and Mozarts?
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
I have to wonder if they
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 8:27am.
I have to wonder if they verified that all of the respondents were indeed citizens who actually pay the taxes.
Also, do the teachers take a pro-rata cut in pay for their reduced teaching load?
<Chris Matthews imitation> HA!
And where are all those kids going to go on that extra day that they don't have school? Let me guess....state-funded day cares.
Once again I have to ask: does anyone ever think these things through?
California continues on its
Submitted by eaglewingz08 on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 10:08am.
California continues on its socialist descent to become the Detroit of the states of the United States. Pretty soon they will learn what Thatcher said thirty years ago socialism collapses when there is no money left to steal from productive people.
Not This Californian
Submitted by Blue Collar Todd on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 10:35am.
Sorry, but I don't want my taxes raised. Especially not to fund our public schools that are more concerned about advancing a Liberal social agenda than teaching our kids how to read and write.
Do 64% of Californians even PAY taxes?
Submitted by drsamherman on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 12:55pm.
Of course those who don't pay taxes would be willing to pay "higher taxes". Since they don't pay a darn thing, more taxes won't cost them a darn thing.
Support the Schools
Submitted by CobraMan on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 2:15pm.
"And now, Californians are contemplating something that would have been unthinkable previously. In a poll conducted by the Los Angeles Times and the University of Southern California, 64 percent of Californians said they would pay more taxes if the money went to public schools."
Why the emphasis on public schools? Wouldn't it be better for the entire population to start switching to private schools? That way you can be sure that all the money you give them goes towards education, as opposed to merely paying taxes where you have no control where that money is spent at all. If you're worried about disadvantaged youths not being able to afford a private school, you can "adopt' one and pay their tuition costs as well. Want to insure the kids get a quality education? Switch to private and get rid of public once and for all! If it's good enough for the Obama's...
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Of Course They Do...
Submitted by bigdaddy on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 4:04pm.
...That was obvious when they put "Jackass Jerry" back in the Governor's office. His motto tax first, ask questions later.
Poll question is lame
Submitted by dmaley1714 on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 4:13pm.
Of course people would say raise my taxes for better schools. What would the poll be if you asked would you pay more taxes for a larger waste and a bloated administration?
It is part and parcel of the journalistic template:
Submitted by Paarl on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 5:36pm.
Every year or every other year in that juridiction or in this jurisdiction the local lib reporter comes up with a useless 'poll' that says people are ready to pay more in taxes if they are specifically directed towards one chosen 'important ' use...never fails...always in NJ...people are specifically ready to pay more taxes for one or more of the following:
1) schools
2) farmland preservation
3) pollution clean up
etc
etc
etc...
has not happened since Christie became governor...the Newark Ledger cannot pull the wool over the Big Guys eyes !!! ;>)
Paarl of Rhodesia...where taxes were low and beer was cheap !!!
Make my Day
Submitted by UpChuck.Liberals on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 8:34pm.
This D A M N state has already raised taxes. Some will say they're not taxes but IMHO when you pay MORE for 'fees' you're paying more in taxes. Case in point, my electric energy bill has gone UP 40% over last year, why? The average 'fee' has risen 20%, one went up .... drum roll please... close to 200% from $400 to $800, can you say OUCH? My YEARLY electric bill went from $1200 to over $1800. Moonbeam wants to 'temporarly' raise taxes, I've got a better idea, how about permanently cut spending? How about stop meddling in markets you have no knowledge of. How about making the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia more business friendly. Did you know we pay a 'inventory' tax on stuff we keep to sell? Now where the heck is the logic in that except to shaft us. How about cutting the pensions down to something within the realm of reality and make public employees make their contributions. Sorry about the rant but Moonbeam and the rest of the Liberals tick me off something fierce.
Moonbeam is a---
Submitted by matthewdean on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 10:24pm.
dork, along with the rest of the liberal Dems in Sacramento.
That said, police and fire - public employees - do make contributions.
They pay partially for their retirement fund, their medical benefits, and they pay a boat load of taxes out of their salaries, even after retirement..
The more I hear 'average' citizens complain about the 'unrealistic" retirement amounts that safety employees have EARNED, the more it sounds like the OWS complaints, i.e., merely green-eyed envy rearing its jealous head.
I WANT SOME OF THE SALARY YOU WORKED FOR TO PUT IN MY POCKET, OR I WANT TO SEE PORTIONS OF WHAT YOU WORKED THIRTY YEARS FOR TAKEN AWAY BECAUSE I HAVE DECIDED YOU DON'T DESERVE IT.
Politicians in California who cater to illegal aliens and professional welfare recipients have decided to repair the economy they have destroyed, by going after and cutting back on duly negotiated and deserved pensions of cops and firefighters.
That is bullshit.
MD
Retired firefighters are not the problem in California.
Submitted by The Vet on Mon, 01/02/2012 - 10:07am.
California public employees' contributions to their pensions have climbed from 5 percent to 7 to 10 percent, and the average public pension in California is $26,000. Many retirees do not receive Social Security benefits.
+++
FACT: California is only slightly above the national average. The average retirement check in California is about $24,000 a year. Unlike the private sector, many public employees do not pay into Social Security, and do not receive Social Security benefits.
+++
FACT: The average public employee retirement benefit in California is $24,000 a year. 75% of all retirees earn less than $30,000 a year.
+++
Really???
Submitted by Upland_Patriot on Sun, 01/01/2012 - 10:25pm.
I live in So Cal and I can tell you that I do not know one person who wants their taxes raised, but I'm a conservative. California is run by liberal, progressive democrats with socialist tendencies.
There is really no way that we can save ourselves in this state, but if I lived in another part of the country I would make sure that leftist whacko's stay in Cali.
Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein.... nuff said.