☆ Local elected political leaders oppose Measure A, citing lack of accountability
Former Palo Alto Mayor Lydia Kou says that even if Measure A passes, the county could still cut public health services: There’s talk of spending the sales tax money on police, DA, and unnamed services. Meanwhile, former Monte Sereno Councilmember Liz Lawler calls out the SC County supes for failing to trim the budgetary fat. Instead, they treat the taxpayer “like an ATM.” An exclusive commentary.
Former Mayor of Palo Alto Lydia Kou: At all levels of California government, there has been significant fiscal irresponsibility by elected officials from the executive branch to the municipal level. The language in Measure A states it is a temporary sales tax increase, I don't believe that statement because there are so many demands from the government, people forget that they are paying more for goods.
Secondly, Measure A claims the funding is for county medical, yet there is talk about funding a whole array of services including police, district attorney's office, and other unnamed services. It's not dedicated to medicine therefore there is absolutely no guarantee that medical services would not be cut.
The Santa Clara County Supervisors have not monitored or tracked the successes of what they have funded, it is just throwing our (the people's) money at what they claim to be doing right by "social justice" propagandists.
By increasing the cost of living of the people, I want to know if these government officials are tracking how many kids are not getting food, clothing, tutoring, etc., because their parents are not able to pay for these goods anymore with the increases of the cost of living? How many seniors are not going to be able to buy medication, food, reading glasses, etc.? These supervisors have not shown fiscal responsibility nor accountability of their constituents' monies.
I urge voters to read their ballots carefully, don't let the title fool you.
Monte Sereno Site and Architectural Commissioner, Former Monte Sereno Councilmember Liz Lawler: Measure A is a knee jerk reaction to a supposition about the budget, an “if” that hasn’t happened yet. Rather than do the hard work of trimming its own budgetary fat, the Santa Clara BOS turns to the taxpayers once again. They treat us like an ATM.
I’m a fiscal conservative, social liberal: I know that balancing a budget is tough, but the county shouldn’t be running a hospital system when there was a private enterprise willing to buy it. This tax hurts the people they’re trying to help, the funds aren’t restricted to health care, and there’s no promise it’s a temporary tax.
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