Mark's Voter Recommendations

From Mark D. Hill, former Chairman of the Marin Republican Party and member, Executive Committee, CA GOP.

As a moderate republican – fiscal conservative, father of three, political commentator and minor player in CA GOP circles, I am often asked for my recommendations on the ever more confusing Ballot propositions. So I thought this time around I might send my thoughts on things. If you agree with most/all of these, feel free to forward to your friends as a guide. BTW - if you want my take on Marin County Initiatives/candidates, just email me and I will forward that.

Brief commentary: Our great State is BROKE and we can't afford any more bonds because bonds need to be paid back through taxes and assessments and we pay higher state taxes and fees than any other state already.

• The state of California has the highest Workers Compensation costs in the nation. Employers pay the higher premiums for these Workers Compensation costs.

• Only Michigan and Mississippi have a higher unemployment rate than California and 39 states have substantially lower rates. Employers' unemployment insurance rates are directly affected by the rate of usage of unemployment insurance.

• California has the highest marginal tax rate for personal income on the state level, maxing out at a whopping 10.3 percent. People do consider this when they have wealth and decide where to live.

• California has the highest state sales tax at 7.25 percent and among the most inclusive of all sales taxes. This adds over $2,100 to the cost of a $30,000 car before licensing fees! New Jersey is second at 7 percent. Again, if given a choice, why not live where less of the money you spend is grabbed by the state.

• California has the highest gas prices in the continental United States due to overbearing state regulations and poor decision making by government officials, including their mandating additives that actually poisoned our public water ways, then reversing course with the costs of the refining changes being passed on to the California consumer.

• California ranks 23rd in spending on public schools but this is severely under reported as it does not include school construction costs and interest on bonds which voters regularly vote in throughout the state. Bond costs are typically added onto the cost of real estate.

• Only 66 percent of California students graduate, ranking us 29th in the nation. This affects both employers looking for a skilled work force and families worried about the environment in which they raise their family.

• We are the 10th most dangerous state in the nation to live.

This is why our neighbors in Nevada and Arizona are booming(leaving us remaining with one hell of a debt to payoff). Most of their population growth is Californians fleeing a state that has largely been without effective leadership for over twenty years. Now we find ourselves in yet another budget crisis and the first words out of the mouths of our so called leaders are "revenue enhancements" which is a polite way of saying 'raise their taxes and increase their fees.' It is akin to the Queen being told, "The people have no bread," and responding, "Well then, let them eat cake." They simply have no idea of the problem and no desire to face up to that problem.

We are already the most taxed state in the nation. Many of those taxes are hidden in fees and higher costs. When gas costs 50 cents more in California because of burdensome regulation, that is a tax on consumers. When houses costs $50,000 to $100,000 more because of government fees and regulations, that is a tax on consumers. When cars costs $1,500 more because of stricter emissions standards, that too is a tax on consumers. When you include the extra costs we incur because of government regulation, our tax rates become absolutely burdensome and confiscatory. Add the extra costs of liability insurance because we seem to all be suing each other hoping to win a chance at the "good life" that perhaps we now feel is out of our reach and the problem become worse than ever.

As a Veteran, the hardest thing for me not to support was the Veteran's Bond Bill…but again, we are broke… nationally and statewide already….and we need to make hard choices. Supporting redistricting is critical so we can "throw the bums (current Congressmen, State Senators and legislatures) out"….. today our voting districts looks like a crazy jigsaw puzzle…as it should …given the politicians (Democrats and Republican incumbents) made the lines to ensure re election.

Below are MY personal recommended positions (and its just fine if you disagree with me on any of them).

Nationally: McCain for President

2008 Ballot Propositions PROPOSITION 1A – HIGH SPEED RAIL - OPPOSE PROPOSITION 2 – FARM ANIMALS - OPPOSE PROPOSITION 3 – CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BOND ACT- OPPOSE PROPOSITION 4 – PARENTAL NOTIFICATION - SUPPORT PROPOSITION 5 – DRUG OFFENSES, SENTENCING, PAROLE - SUPPORT PROPOSITION 6 – POLICE AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES - SUPPORT PROPOSITION 7 – RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION - OPPOSE PROPOSITION 8 – PROTECT MARRIAGE – SUPPORT PROPOSITION 9 – VICTIMS' RIGHTS -SUPPORT PROPOSITION 10 – ALTERNATIVE ENERGY BOND - OPPOSE PROPOSITION 11 – REDISTRICTING - SUPPORT PROPOSITION 12 – VETERANS' BOND ACT OF 2008 - OPPOSE Proposition, but support the Vets...the Feds should fund this...not the State.