Americans for Tax Reform today issued its recommendations on the most important state ballot measures to be decided on by voters on Nov. 6. Issues of national significance, including massive tax increases in California, and a measure that would let unions run roughshod over the constitution in Michigan will be ruled on by the electorate.
“Many of these statewide measures are of national importance,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. “Even if you don’t live in California, you should be concerned about Gov. Jerry Brown’s crippling income and sales tax hikes. Even though Brown likes to think his measure is a parochial issue, his effort to tank the California economy, the largest in the country, would negatively impact the prospects for recovery nationally.”
Aside from tax hikes, the fate of measures that would grant government employee unions unprecedented powers to loot taxpayers, such as Michigan’s Proposal 2 and Idaho’s Propositions 1 and 2, will be decided in less than two weeks.
“Tax increases can hinder state economies, but so can the unchecked power of government employee unions, which is typically wielded to lobby for higher taxes,” said Norquist. “In Michigan, Proposal 2 would literally give labor unions the constitutional power to override the legislature and rewrite entire laws. Meanwhile, in Idaho two sensible education reform laws are being challenged on the ballot by teachers union bosses who don’t want teacher compensation tied to performance in the classroom.”
“I urge taxpayers to put as much thought into how they vote on ballot measures as they dedicate to the presidential election and legislative contests.”
To see ATR’s 2012 Ballot Guide, visit www.ATR.org/ballot.