Issue Position: Tax Increases

Issue Position

Taxes are unavoidable, but we should strive to make them fair, simple, and as low as possible. I want to honor the hard work that goes into earning a living by guaranteeing that our workers and entrepreneurs keep as much of their earnings as feasible.

In Sacramento, it's too easy to see every problem as not enough money and every solution as higher taxes. But we need to move beyond that tired model. It hasn't worked well for our state. For too long, Californians have paid some of the highest taxes but gotten some of the worst services and results.

Before we even consider another tax increase, we need to exhaust other avenues to make government more efficient and responsive to taxpayer needs. We need to review all of our spending to make sure we aren't forcing taxpayers to foot the bill for wasteful or frivolous programs. We need to look for low-cost solutions to our problems and remember that every dollar government spends is earned by -- then taken from -- a taxpayer. We need to treat every tax dollar with the greatest respect.

It's for those reasons that I will oppose new taxes. Government growth has put a heavy burden on our families and I want to lighten that load. I will defeat all new tax increase efforts and push affordability so middle-class families are not priced out of our state.

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