Teachers Union to Californians: We Know You Just Paid Taxes, But F*** You

We noted on Sunday that the California Teachers Association and other unions were beginning to break from Jerry Brown and his insistence on leaving the question of any tax increases to the voters. Well, they're kicking it up a notch; yesterday, the CTA launched a new TV ad statewide urging lawmakers to balance California's budget, and implying that they should do so by raising taxes and without asking the voters. Here's more from the Sacramento Bee's Kevin Yamamura:

CTA's new 30-second spot does not mention taxes, nor does it refer to the Democratic governor's proposal for a public vote. Instead, it portrays budget spending as crucial to bolstering the economy and schools and says another round of cuts would be devastating. . . CTA President David Sanchez said last week that Brown should avoid the ballot because it is too late to ask voters to approve the taxes, in no small part because they will see them more as tax hikes than extensions. Instead, Sanchez said lawmakers should pass the taxes in the Capitol on a two-thirds vote.

So, if you're a taxpaying voter in California, be aware that the CTA just gave you a big middle finger the day after Tax Day. And while you're at it, keep in mind that $15 billion in tax increases will only balance California's budget in the fictional universe that union bureaucrats believe they live in. One reason why: that $15 billion figure is almost certain to rise when Brown releases his revised budget numbers next month. Another reason why: whether it's lawmakers who can't fathom living without free cars, or a Governor who gifts prison guards with garguantuan vacation-day payouts at retirement while talking about the need for tax extensions, Sacramento still has little interest in serious solutions to its budget problems. And one more: higher taxes always come at the cost of lower productivity, so it's highly unlikely the state will realize the revenues the unions are counting on. So, maybe raising taxes on California's productive citizens to pay for some of the nation's worst teachers is not a way to go.