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Richard Cochrane is trained in chemistry and metallurgy but is far more interested and practiced as a political and fund raising consultant, writer and amateur historian. He grew up in a Navy family and with his two younger brothers carried on its 500+ year tradition of naval service to Great Britain and the USA then enjoyed a career with one of the largest advertising and public relations agencies working with numerous Fortune 500 companies and many of America's premier educational institutions. He maintains friendships and acquaintanceships around the world. He lives in Santa Barbara, California.

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California’s Collapse Continues

April 1st, 2009 • Richard Cochrane
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arnold-cartoonToday’s April Fools are Californians who will feel the impact of last February’s budget compromise lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger struck, as the state sales tax rises 1 cent on the dollar. The sales tax increase makes Californmia one of the highest taxed states in the nation.

That probably won’t help the polling for the May 19 ballot measures, none of which beyond the one involving lawmakers’ salaries topped 50 percent support last week, according to the Public Policy Institute of California poll.

That didn’t particularly bother Schwarzenegger who said last week, “I’m here to fix problems, to fix what is broken, rather than worry about poll numbers.”

Speaking of broken, it’s fair to say the relationship between Sen. Abel Maldonado, (R) Santa Maria a Republican who cast the deciding vote for the tax raising budget package, and Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner (R) who has been campaigning against it, has soured. Billionaire Poizner has already declared his intention to run for Governor, and Maldonado is serving his last term in the Senate and is looking around for something else to run for.

In the two-page letter, Maldonado assailed Poizner as a political opportunist who has contributed nothing to solving the budget crisis.

“Since the budget was passed, you have gone around the state criticizing it and the role six Republicans played in its passage,” Maldonado wrote. “I am very disappointed that you would let the state fall into financial ruin just to win a political campaign.”

Poizner retorted that Maldonado was “a bit like the arsonist lashing out at the fire department for not stopping him from burning the village.”

Tobacco taxes and vehicles registration fees have also skyrocketed as a result of the budget.

TEA Parties are brewing across the State and Nation to protest higher taxes. In California those will almost certainly impact the May 19 special election to sanction or reject these tax increases. None of the ballot propositions are ahead in the polls and Schwarzenegger’s approvals continue in the low 30s.

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