Higher Taxes? Mr. President: Read Their Lips

President Bush announced last week that he would support a tax increase to help lower the federal deficit. Southern Californians were variously perplexed, angry and philosophical.

Did they feel betrayed by Bush’s turnaround on his campaign pledge: “No new taxes”? Yes, but most said they didn’t believe it then. Would they be willing to pay more taxes? Yes, some said, though many used the opportunity to lament high defense spending, the budget-draining savings & loan crisis, housing prices and the trials of single-parenting.

Nobody likes taxes. And as for the President’s promise?

Read their lips:

“I feel that California already is expensive enough, they shouldn’t raise taxes here. The average job doesn’t include a cost of living increase. A single person gets eaten alive. He (Bush) contradicted himself and that makes him a backstabber just to get into office. That’s why we vote for these people, so they can keep that (taxes) in check. I deal with people on a daily basis who are trying to get loans and I feel bad for people who are already paying high taxes. That’s not fair.”

--Sonya Hawkins, mortgage company representative, Costa Mesa

“Bush, he’s my man. I think it was necessary that he raised taxes now. I don’t see any way he couldn’t. I don’t think it’ll hurt him. He’s my man.”

--Floyd Bates, retired parts assembly worker, Santa Ana

“I wasn’t real confident when he said it the first time. I don’t think I believed it then. I voted for him, not for only that but for other reasons. I’m a Republican. There’s no way that anyone would look at the balance sheet of America and think we wouldn’t have to raise taxes somewhere along the line. It’s going to hurt a lot of people. It’s going to hurt him the most. I don’t know what his plans are for re-election but maybe it won’t work this time.” --Kevin Gertsman, pharmaceutical salesman, Garden Grove

“I think it’s wrongful if that’s what he said. I’m not really big on politics but I don’t want my taxes raised. I think they’re right, right where they’re at. I think they’re high enough. They (federal government) are getting enough as it is.”

--Robin Shuleshko, catering representative, Newport Beach

“Half the American people voted for him on that promise. I think there are other avenues to recoup those needed funds. (As far as cutting Social Security benefits and other social programs) that’s outrageous. There are other places he could cut, cut the military expenditures, collect from debtor nations, the overseas military bases that aren’t needed, cut some of the military contracts, like the B-1. We need that money at home. I was very proud to vote for him. I felt he’d keep his promises.

--Steven Bronte, purchasing agent, Costa Mesa

“Betrayal might be too strong, but he’s certainly not kept his word. I think there would be other ways of doing it. One of the things that bothers me is that Reagan wouldn’t have done it. He shouldn’t make that kind of promise. If you make a promise you should keep it.”

--Rob Tobias, Episcopal pastor , Long Beach

“It doesn’t matter because either way we’ll have to pay higher taxes. I’d rather pay more taxes to help the homeless or something like that.”

--Mark Taitano, construction worker, Los Angeles

“Well, I would be willing pay them. I don’t think that we should really let our children have to worry about the deficit; we should do our best to increase taxes and pay off the debts so everything else can become more in order.”

--Magda Dia, World Trade Center concierge, Los Angeles

“Sure it’s betrayal, because he lied when he said he wasn’t going to raise taxes and then he says he is. I sure don’t feel like paying any more taxes.”

--Wilbert Mason, retired, Los Angeles

“Yes, I do feel betrayed. It was just a politcal game for him to get elected. He knew he was going to have to raise taxes. He should have been a little more honest about the situation . Middle-income people like myself are the ones who are going to suffer. We could spend more time helping the homeless and the poor instead of raising the taxes for programs that are going to be cut.”

--Charlene Weaver, secretary, Los Angeles

“I don’t feel betrayed, really. I figured it’s just something that’s got to be taken care of . . . the deficit is just getting out of control. I don’t mind paying extra money myself, I think we should have a United States Lottery and put the proceeds to fixing the deficit because then our whole economy will improve.”

--Dave Edson, computer technician, Westhills

“He should carry out what he said. And he didn’t. I don’t want to pay more taxes--I think we should cut down on defense spending. We don’t have to worry about the Russians anymore.”

--Paul George, electrician, La Palma

“You expect a politican to lie. No, I don’t want to pay more taxes because I think Congress needs to reorganize and prioritize their spending. We have enough money, they just have to redistribute it.”

--Ray Ybarra, musician, Los Angeles

“As far as feeling betrayed, yes and no, only because I knew that it (campaign promise) was only to win the campaign. It really upset me, because I tend to have Republican views. I guess it did the trick. But, absolutely, I would be willing to pay more taxes to reduce the deficit.”

--Deborah Selby, certified public accountant, Los Angeles Times staff writer Hank Stuever contributed to this story from Los Angeles. Mary Anne Perez is a Times correspondent in Orange County.