Anger over new taxes boils over

Call it the Fullerton Tea Party. Or maybe  a radio stunt. But it's clear there is some anger out there over the state tax hikes in the new California budget, and many gathered to fume Saturday in Fullerton. From the San Gabriel Valley Tribune:

Droves of angry taxpayers gathered Saturday to protest tax increases in the recently approved state budget and to rally for the recall of Republicans who supported the increases -- or didn't do enough to stop them. Tax Revolt 2009 was hosted by KFI-AM talk-show hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou in a parking lot behind the Slidebar Cafe in Fullerton. They support recall efforts against Assemblyman Anthony Adams, R-Claremont; state Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria; and Assemblyman Jeff Miller, R-Corona.

-- Shelby Grad

Comments

[tucanofulano]

"Heads on a Stick" Yell, Scream, E-Mail, Fax, Phone "your" Senator and insist E-Verify be included in every piece of legislation. Elected employees of yours like Pelosi, Reid, Feinstein, Boxer and others (are they all Communist Anti-Americans?) are working hard to put Americans on the bread line and illegals on the job line so all can be manipulated and controlled. Revolt, Rebel, RECALL.

[Glizz]

Did they hold up signs? Because they should read- Close our schools! Layoff thousands of people now! Close our state parks! Cut my grandma's prescription benefits!

The fundamentalism behind "No New Taxes" loses credibility when most people are on unemployment, including your kids, or brother or your neighbors, but oil companies get to keep their republican tax breaks and loopholes.

We, the 95% of this country's workforce, have been subsidizing and lining the pockets of the wealthy for too long. The gap between the rich and poor is the size of the grand canyon, while the infrastructure of our schools, transportation, and energy is crumbling. The rich have stolen so much from the working that they have brought the whole economy to its knees with insatiable greed, and outright theft.

Fortunately the economic dogma of the faithful right holds less power over Californians today, although talk radio is still their pulpit. The republicans of our state legislature (that answer to these shrinking fringe groups) couldn't have done a better job of convincing CA voters that their dogma is morally and economically bankrupt. Keep it up. =)

[hiincyber]

Fugures the LA Times fish wrap wouldn't cover this event. 8000 show up and the Times doesn't deem it newsworthy

[John Jay]

It was great to see as many people at the rally as I did. The idea that our elected officials can't see to fathom that economies just like housing markets go up and down. The way that they have grown the state government over the last ten years is a crime comparable to the Maddoff scenario and heads should roll or recalls should be proclaimed. I refuse to pay more taxes for a government that is so far from competent that it just isn't funny. Try to develop some land, or start a business you know pump money into the economy and you treated as a pariah the piles of red tape and boobs that you must deal with is endless, and they all have their hands out or in your pockets. I'm tired of the same incompetent people that don't understand that business and commerce is what pays the taxes in a capitalistic society. Police that seem to only ticket people because they have a pension to make, firemen that make over $225,000.00 a year who work a whole ten days a month and get paid to sleep and watch TV, a school system with a 50% dropout rate, and emergency rooms that are no longer open and so on and so on. Why don't I think we need higher taxes gee that's a tough one.

[Jack Reilley]

I have heard crowd estimated of 8000 to 15000 angry tax payers. Wow. If a anti-Prop 8 or a illegal immigrant rally of 50 to 500 happened, the Times would be slavering all over itselt claiming so sort of justification of opposition. Legislators need to get the message, tax payers are mad and ready for radical change. The Boston Tea Party was a small group of Boston radicals who turned the world upside down. Do ya think 8000 to 15000 might have a bigger effect.. Go John, Go Ken!! Dump the tea!

[JimmyZ]

44 Words is the best the LA Dogtrainer can offer on this story- and then using a quote from San Gabriel Valley Tribune. No wonder the public doesn't take the Times seriously anymore.

[TD in Irvine, CA]

Where is the LA Times for coverage on this event? A local radio station helps gather 15,000 disgruntled tax payers and nobody cares. People are really mad about what is happening to California and the country.

[katie]

"Droves"???? More like thousands, but interesting that the LA Times chose not to even cover the story.

[Thomas Paine]

I agree that if this was 150 people at an anti-prop 8 rally, LAT would be all over this like gold lame at a Judy Garland look-alilke contest.

I was at the rally it was shocking at how LITTLE it was covered by local news. Journalism truly died in 2008.

[Thomas Paine]

I agree that if this was 150 people at an anti-prop 8 rally, LAT would be all over this like gold lame at a Judy Garland look-alilke contest.

I was at the rally it was shocking at how LITTLE it was covered by local news. Journalism truly died in 2008.

[mageos]

Glizz,

Who do you think pays the working class? Jobs are the product of the "wealthy" employers having enough extra $$ and business to justify hiring new employees. If we over-tax the wealthy they will be forced to shrink their labor forces, firing more people, leaving more unemployed. Then what, raise taxes again and perpetuate the cycle?

Schools is a separate issue. The dollar spent per student in CA is one of the highest, yet we continue to have some of the lowest test scores in the nation. We have the funding for the schools, it's just being miss spent.

[ibcherie]

So typical of the L.A. Times to downplay this. Mabe it's time to not even read them online!

Revolt, Rebel, RECALL

[Stacey]

I'm not surprized! I guess this NEWS STORY doesn't fit the L.A.Times AGENDA!

[AL]

LA TIMES IS A JOKE. THEY DON'T REPORT THE REALITIES AFFECTING CALIFORNIAN TAX PAYERS. I WILL HAVE TO PAY OVER $5,000 MORE IN TAXES DUE TO ARNOLD'S LIES. WHY ISN'T THIS FACT BEING COVERED? I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE AFFECTED. FRONT PAGE SHOULD READ "ARNOLD LIES!" IF YOU VOTED FOR ARNOLD BASED ON HIS CAMPAIGN, WHERE HE CLEARLY STATED "NO TAXES, PERIOD" YOU WERE LIED TO. DOESN'T THIS CLASSIFY AS BEING NEWSWORTHY?

[Brittney Johnson]

15,000 people show up to protest and this is the only print up you have on the story? No wonder no one buys the LA times anymore. This is a pathetic coverage of a huge, local story.

[Chris]

I was in downtown Fullerton on Saturday afternoon and had no idea there was going to be a 'Tax Revolt'. My curiosity sparked when I saw signs around downtown that read 'Event Parking', but it was the continuous hordes of people walking by with signs that convinced me to see what was going on.

When I arrived at the gathering, I couldn't believe it. There were literally thousands and thousands of people. I learned from others about the 'revolt' going on, but what I don't understand is how the event slipped under my radar. I go to school at Cal State Fullerton and usually the school newspaper or flyers around school inform me of big events, and if not them a billboard or ad on TV or radio (I guess other stations didn't advertise since it was hosted by another radio station,) but this I can't remember being advertised anywhere.

I came to LA Times' website today looking for coverage of the 'Revolt' and to see if anything else was being planned, but I've quickly learned that thousands of people gathering for a political cause (a just one at that I think,) isn't even newsworthy.

[Barbara]

Rallys by themselves are seldom news worthy"-

Explain to me why the rallys below were more news worthy than the 15,000 plus American tax payers rallying in a Californian city?

June 19 2007: Hmong Rally in Sacramento- Eric Baily 470 word story p4
June 12, 2006: 2 dozen protestors over elaphant death- 671 words p3

more news worthy than over 15,000 tax payers?

Aug 31, 2008: Main news pg 3- thousands or mexicans rally to protest crime in Mexico City- IN MEXICO- You find Mexicans in Mexico city more news worthy tha
Jun 21, 2006- Union puts pressure on supervisors- Rally in county board (1,000 protestors)
March 16, 2004- Students rally to drop community college fees-
November Puru student from UCLA??? an illegal alien girl gets a lead paragraph?
TODAY! oregon protest for tax increase from over a month ago?

All of these are more news worhty than 15,000 people protesting in fullerton?

[Mark]

I stopped having the LA times delivered in 2000 after I figured out they did not print news, just their view. And I stopped the occasional newstand purchase in 2003 after the whole doctored picture scam. I don't read it online either, I just came to confirm to the LA times why they are going to eventually go under. They don't report So Cal news. Just their opinion. On the day they fianlly go under I will laugh at them and their journalistic attempts. I also know several people who only read it for the sports, and they are upset with the downsizing of that section. The LA times and other one sided medias are is on it's way out. To bad nothing can be unbiased....

[Chase]

LA Times writes 44 words about the largest tax hike in American history. Amazing. You guys deserve every single job lost, and every bit of your drop in stock. Good luck selling your sham of a news source.

-Chase

[Costel Coca]

LA Times is a waste... This is not newsworthy? Bunch of left wing wackos at this paper..

[Cancel LA Times]

Glizz, you are an idiot and you have been guzzling too much of the LA Times Kool-Aid. Bringing up the weathy is irrelevant. They make up less than 5% of the population according to your "stats". So what do you propose, that we tax them 20%, 40%, 60%? Sacramento knows that the tax money to be had is in the middle-class.

Don't give me these tired excuses of the kids are going to suffer in school with larger class sizes or crime will increase because we cannot hire more cops. If state funds were spend efficiently and ethically, we wouldn't need new taxes.

Yes, the headline of this pathetic article/paragraph (if you can call it a headline) contains the words "new taxes". But the underlying message of the gathering is that there is corruption in Sacramento. For years, the state and it's state union workers and state politicians have been fleecing the people of California (both the wealthy and the middle-class). It is this insane spending that forced the crooked State Legislature to tax, tax, tax the middle class even more then ever before... and for what? Who benefits from a "balanced budget"? The middle class or the state-workers and the illegal immigrants and welfare receipients?

We are already number one in the nation as a state for the highest taxes for incomes starting at $48K. We are taxed because of unnecessary overspending by this state government. There are numerous studies that show we spend way beyond our means (relative to inflation and population) for YEARS NOW. And taxing the wealthy to death won't balance the budget if spending is increased by the same amount(or more). Why do you think it's so hard for those crooks in Sacramento to balance the budget every year? Because they feel the need to increase spending every year and then have to figure out how to manipulate the media and the voters so they can pass the various state bonds and "fees" and other "revenue streams" to "balance the budget".

All you need to do is look back at all the state propositions that have passed with massive bonds for 20-30 years over the years.

Come April 1st, you'll all see why this rally occurred. It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or Republican. If you're a Californian tax paying private sector citizen, you'll be just as pissed! Vehicle Lic. Fees will double, state sales tax will increase by 1%, and if you have dependents, you'll lose $200 in tax credits each.

So Glizz, go peddle your tired regurgitated has been liberal list of excuses somewhere else.

[DRE DAWG]

Times...I don't care where your political agenda lies, but you are obligated to print objective, acurate truth of what's going on in our state. Yes, John and Ken organized the event, but 15,000 people attended...15,000 angry people who can't afford to relinquish $1,400 dollars in taxes this year....15,000 who represent majority of Californians who won't be able to use Obama's stimulous check because the California Gov will take in away in taxes...every economist says not to tax people during a recession...so what does our brilliant gov do?

Times, I don't subscribe to you anymore, by the way, and I haven't for years. Good thing you idiots put ALL your content on the web for free!!! You can't run yourselves properly as a business or a new source, what a joke!!!

[Lonna]

L.A. Times...

I am ashamed of you. I have taught my children to hear both sides of every story to truly be able to make an informed decision. It is embarassing that they are supposed to use your newspaper for their school to do news reports- it won't happen any longer.

They say that Americans are wrong to "imply" that we are heading for a socialistic/communistic state...but how can they be so wrong when you prove you are controlled by the government and speak only their biased agenda?

PLEASE- stop sending your representatives (including the teenagers) to my door trying to sell your paper, PLEASE stop calling us also....you are uninformed thus unwanted.

[LM]

The lack of coverage of the John & Ken KFI tax protest is too biased for me, I'm canceling my LAT subscription immediately.

[greg brown]

Thanks for reminding me that as a dutiful taxpayer, hard worker and father of two that I mean nothing to the LA Times. I have never protested anything in my life - I was always too busy and more than willing to let someone do the hard lifting. Well, NO MORE. I was there on Saturday and I will be at any future rallies as well - although you won't know about it because the LA Times won't cover them. I guess they are "news" unless they are organized by some special interest group

What is news (wake up LA TIMES) was the incredible cross-section of society I saw on Saturday - families, college students, vets, blacks, whites, hispanics, young and old. And the outrage they were expressing over the budget mess and back door dealings. It made me feel good to see so many fellow Californians standing up for this great state. Oh...one thing I didn't see there - the LA Times. That's ok; I cancelled my subscription years ago. Good riddance