Evan Halpe

LAT Dances Around Calling Schwarzenegger Proposal a 'Tax'

By Ken Shepherd | January 9, 2008 - 11:14

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) is proposing a new insurance surcharge to plug a budget gap that conservative critics are calling a tax. And objectively speaking, it really is a tax. But the L.A. Times was careful to avoid attributing the T-word to the idea.

Here's the teaser from the Times Web site's front page:

Gov. urges levy on insurance
By Marc Lifsher and Evan Halper
Plan calls for 1.25% assessment on all residential and commercial property policies to fund firefighting. Foes call it a tax.

Here's the header, subhead, and lede from the January 9 article: