- The ARC - California Edition -

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time the state of California was run without sales tax, without state income tax, without employment insurance tax, without inheritance tax, and without so called luxury taxes.

We got so modern and civilized that we found we could afford a deficit; just a little, insignificant one. This deficit developed such growing pains that somebody, in a joking way, suggested we balance it.

Some of the wise boys up in Sacramento thought up the sales tax, 2 ½ percent, to pay off this deficit, and buy a lot of things. The sales tax would solve all the ills, we were told, and never again would we have to have additional taxes. It was even hinted that once the deficit was wiped out the annoying sales tax would be put into the discard.

Apparently the sales tax was too puny. It was upped to 3 percent. Now, instead of new taxes paying old bills, Governor Olson tells us we will have to raise additional taxes of $75,000,000 next year. Unless new methods of taxation are found, we soon will be in the red one hundred million dollars, about the annual budget of the Republic of Mexico.

It seems that soon we will be paying more taxes on insurance premiums, on our lights, gas and telephone bills, on cigarettes, and on other things that common folks use every day.

How did we get along in the "good old days" without nuisance taxation, and deficits? Do you suppose that we were so absurdly old fashioned that we wouldn't spend money when we didn't have it.

From The Arlington Times -- 1939