A Bright and Brash Idea

A brash idea perhaps, but state Assemblyman Richard Katz, a Democrat from Sylmar, believes leaders should lead. So does Sen. Quentin Kopp, an independent from San Francisco. Thus, both chairmen of the Legislature’s transportation committees believe the Legislature and governor should increase the state gasoline tax without having to ask voter permission. Gov. George Deukmejian insists there be a special election on the question in November.

If a gas tax increase is defeated in a statewide referendum, Katz reasons, the Legislature is not likely to touch the issue again for some time. “No one will be willing to go out on a limb at that point,” he said, and the state could not even afford to maintain the deteriorating highway system it has now.

Other brash people in the Legislature who believe in leading include Assemblyman John Vasconcellos and Sen. Alfred E. Alquist, Democrats from San Jose. They are proposing to raise $1 billion a year by restoring the maximum 11% bracket of the state personal income tax and adding a minor increase in corporation levies. The top income tax rate was reduced to 9.3% in 1987 as part of a program--supposedly revenue-neutral--to make the state tax system consistent with federal reforms. The rollback was a factor in the state’s loss of more than $1 billion in anticipated revenues during 1988.

This additional tax money would not go for some fancy new program, but to make up part of a $1.5- billion shortfall in Deukmejian’s $47.8-billion budget for fiscal 1989-90. Rather than venture out on any limb that smacks of higher taxes, the governor would balance the budget largely by eliminating the usual cost-of-living increases for Californians receiving welfare and Social Security income supplements.

Deukmejian said that since he ran in 1982 and 1986 on a pledge not to increase general taxes, he would be breaking a bargain with the people if he permitted an increase in the gasoline tax without a vote. No going out on a limb here, even though the gasoline levy is a special tax--not a general tax--since it is earmarked for a specific purpose.

Legislators like Katz, Kopp, Alquist and Vasconcellos believe they were elected to lead and not merely react to polls. They know that in a representative democracy, elected leaders have an obligation to consider the well-being of the entire state--not just voters and taxpayers, and not just this year or until the next election, but for future generations as well. This means making decisions that might not seem popular with the voters at the time. It means going out on a limb now and then.