Press Release from Californians for Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability – April 1, 2024 Voters are promised their taxes will fund critically important services, only to see the ugly truth later SACRAMENTO, CA- This April Fool’s Day, Californians are in for an unpleasant reminder of the deceptive bait-and-switch tactics used to pass tax increases to fund critically important public services, only to see them diverted later to other questionable uses. The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act (TPA), slated for the November 2024 ballot, will help put a stop to this deceptive practice by improving accountability and ensuring voters get what they have been promised. "For too long, taxpayers have endured misleading claims about how our hard-earned dollars will be spent," said Elizabeth Brierly, past president of Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association. "California politicians are notorious for promising that given even more tax dollars, government agencies will sustain core public services such as road repairs or crime-fighting, then allowing those tax revenues to be frittered away on ‘foolish’ uses. The Taxpayer Protection Act will safeguard unwittingly generous voters and overburdened taxpayers against further such exploitation." A few recent examples include: Gas Tax Increase: Touted as a solution to the state’s crumbling roads, seven years later, California’s controversial gas tax increase has shown that promise was not kept by state legislators. Despite paying the nation’s highest gas tax, one-third of the revenue is diverted to purposes outside road repairs and state highways, leaving California with some of the worst roads in the country. Under the Taxpayer Protection Act, the controversial gas tax hike would have required voter approval. Additionally, under TPA, if legislators want to divert funds away from roads, it would require another public vote. TPA also requires all future tax increases to clearly state their tax rate, how the funds will be used and duration the tax will be in effect, preventing deceptive titles and summaries to ensure voters have transparency and accountability when deciding how to vote. Measure B, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority: In 2016, Santa Clara County voters approved a sales tax increase proposed by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to “relieve traffic” and “repair potholes.” Yet, plans were later unveiled by VTA to divert most of the tax funds toward a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) project when voters had been told it was limited to 25 percent at most, leading to scathing criticisms that “this Measure B bait and switch is deplorable.” The Taxpayer Protection Act mandates clear future ballot descriptions of how tax revenue will be utilized, giving taxpayers more tools to ensure local governments uphold their commitments to taxpayers. Measure U, City of Sacramento: In 2018, Sacramento voters approved a sales tax increase. Voters were told the tax increase would “protect and enhance essential public safety services” with the mayor promising that the new revenue would not go to public employee pensions—when in fact it could be used for unrestricted general government purposes. Just a year later, observers of the city budget noted that “simple, inescapable arithmetic” meant the additional money generated from the sales tax increase would need to go to the city’s spiraling pension payments. TPA requires future local tax ballot statements to plainly state when taxes are for general government use, ensuring voters clearly know they can be used for pensions and other purposes. “If the Taxpayer Protection Act passes this November, expect fewer April Fool’s Day surprises as this popular ballot measure is a crucial step toward ending the bait-and-switch tactics that have plagued taxpayers for too long,” added Bruce Lee, president of the Sacramento Taxpayers Association. ### About Californians for Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Californians for Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability is a bipartisan coalition of homeowners, taxpayers, and businesses committed to ensuring California remains affordable for families and accountable to its voters. For more information, visit www.taxpayerprotection.com.