Vote No On Prop S Tuesday

[Walter Moore]

Besides being your neighbor, I'm the person who wrote the official
ballot argument against Prop S.

Please be sure to vote "no" on Prop S Tuesday.

The opponents include not just yours truly, but also the Howard Jarvis
Taxpayers Association, the Los Angeles Daily News, the Valley Industry
and Commerce Association (VICA), various Neighborhood Councils, and
various chambers of commerce.

You can get the details about what's wrong with Prop S -- including
supporting documentation -- at the website I've set up for the
purpose: www.NoOnPropS.com. Here's the summary:

1. Prop S is a tax HIKE, not a tax cut. City Hall can cut our taxes
at any time, without an election. Voter approval is required only for
tax hikes. Prop S would restore cell phone and land line tax hikes
City Hall adopted illegally, without our permission. It would also
add a brand new tax on DSL lines, wireless services, text-messaging,
instant-messaging, T-1 lines and all other forms of electronic
communication.

2. Prop S is unfair: you would pay a 9% tax, but telemarketers would
pay just 5%. Plus, the L.A. Times and other local newspapers and news
radio stations would pay NO tax on cell phones, wireless and internet
services.

3. Prop S is unnecessary. The City already takes in more than enough
money -- more than ever in its history, $6.7 billion per year, up $1.4
billion per year from 2004-05. If the City collected NO cell phone
and land line taxes, and hired 1000 more police, revenues would still
be up over 21% from 2004-05.

4. Prop S does not guarantee ANY of the money collected will be used
for police or fire. Rather, City Hall would be free to add every
penny to the $600 million per year it gives to wealthy developers.

Don't take anyone's word for anything on Prop S, and don't get fooled
by the $2.3 million advertising campaign funded by developers and
unions. Rather, go to www.NoOnPropS.com and read the relevant court
opinions, budget documents and newspaper articles for yourself. Then
you'll see why the City Controller said "we shouldn't think of asking
taxpayers for more money until we get our house in order."