California’s population is 37.3 million. The U.S. population is almost 314 million. California has more than 10 percent of the country’s population. It gave President Obama its 55 electoral votes and Californians also approved a constitutional amendment that increased the sales tax and substantially raised income taxes on the top 3 percent of the state’s earners. THESE DECISIONS by such a significant part of the U.S. public stand in stark contrast to the votes cast in Kansas and throughout the South and Midwest. The west and east coast states went solidly Democratic. The center of the country voted deep red. Republicans pledge never to raise taxes, Democrats vote for tax hikes. Why?
The state sales tax went up to 7.5 percent from 7.25 percent — not as much as Gov. Jerry Brown had requested, but still an increase that every citizen will pay on their purchases.
Four new brackets in the income tax on high-earners were also approved, beginning with a 10 percent hike on incomes above $250,000 a year. Those who earn more than $1 million a year will pay a marginal rate of 13.3 percent, which is an increase of 29.13 percent over the current rate.
Gov. Brown campaigned hard for the tax hikes, pointing out to the people that years of deficit spending there had left the state near bankruptcy and warning that failure to raise taxes would result in drastic reductions in spending on schools, highways, law enforcement and all of the other basics a state provides to its citizens.
California also elected more than two-thirds majorities of Democrats to both houses of its legislature. Because two-thirds majorities have been required to pass any tax increase, a provision Republicans there have used to dig the state’s budget hole ever deeper, Gov. Brown will now be able to govern prudently.
In addition to all of this, the voters passed Proposition 39, which closes a $1 billion business tax loophole that will result in bringing the state’s budget closer to balance.
Two of my sons live in Vermont, a state which depends on agriculture and tourism for its jobs. Vermont voted 70-30 Democratic. Kansas is also a farm state. We voted 60-40 Republican. Why are Kansas farmers Republicans and Vermont farmers Democrats? I have asked them to write an explanation. Maybe one or both will try.
These differences should also be pondered by Kansans. We are, after all, a single nation: the United States, not 50 separate states. To continue our greatness and build upon it will require compromises and common effort — a national rather than a parochial set of values.
Last week’s election didn’t take us very far in that direction.
— Emerson Lynn, jr.
