The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has released a radio advertisement aimed at undermining Gov. Jerry Brown's November ballot initiative to raise taxes, attacking "Sacramento politicians" for their approval of California's $68 billion high-speed rail project.
"Sacramento politicians have turned their backs on education and public safety and voted to waste billions on the largest boondoggle in American history," Jon Coupal, president of the association, says in the minute-long ad. "These same politicians are using scare tactics to force tax increases on the working people of California. While they push for more taxes, frivolous spending and political cronyism, they ignore desperately needed reforms to education, pensions and spending."
The taxpayers group described the spot as an issue-advocacy ad against high-speed rail. It said the ad is running statewide, but it declined to say how much money is behind it.
Public support for the rail project has waned since voters approved it in 2008, and a Field Poll this month suggested it could be a liability for Brown's tax measure. The Democratic governor is proposing to raise the state sales tax and income taxes on California's highest earners.
Latest posts:
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.