Thankfully, Hernandez Doesn't Run the IRS

I'll admit it, in any difference of opinion between Mayor Curt Pringle and coucilman Bob Hernandez, I'll tend to come in with a pro-Pringle bias, having watched this business-friendly Mayor from a distance and knowing of his past service in statewide office.  Any self-doubt that my own predispositions might have been clouding my view of the ongoing Disney/Suncal conflict, however, were washed away when a reader gave me a heads-up on the most recent Anaheim city council meeting (I've since watched the video, available at www.anaheim.net).

Near the end of that meeting, Hernandez openly suggested that if Disney wanted to try to overturn the city council's change to Anaheim's General Plan-- a right to referendum afforded it by law-- then perhaps the company ought to face an entertainment tax!

While airing this stunning proposal, Hernandez even admits, "I'm not sure how large of an entertainment tax it should be," showing clearly that his tax-hiking scheme isn't some well thought-out matter of public policy, but merely a hot-headed, off-the-cuff attempt to frighten his opponents into submission.

How big should it be?  Bob Hernandez probably thinks such a tax should be large enough to teach Disney never to disagree with him again.

I suspect readers here would very much like to know if those who side with councilman Hernandez on this issue also agree with him that Disney ought to be penalized with a new tax for simply holding a viewpoint which differs from his.  If not, SunCal and all of its supporters should very publicly issue a rebuke of the councilman's careless, hostile remarks and make it clear that they do not believe in levying new taxes against those with whom they disagree.

There are lot of reasons most visitors to this blog should believe in the principles of limited government; this sort of bullying should be first among them.

What say you, SunCal?!

Comments

[OC Reader]

great stuff! i don't live in Anaheim so i do not really have an opinion on this issue but you are so right about this city council member

this is what we should expect from these people. they are liberals and want your voice to be heard unless you disagree with them. typical.

["What say you?"]

I like it: a little O'Reilly flavor on the blog! They'll never answer that question. They'll just pretend it was never asked.

[OC Reader reader]

You'll probably hear a response about the same time all the conservative businessmen backing Disney tell you why they think ballot-box zoning is a good idea.

[Debbie]

Shame on You... You asked me if I watch the end of the city council meeting and I did after your email and I still say SHAME ON YOU.

[colony rabble]

The "ballot box zoning" was being done by SunCal, not Disney. Disney and the businesses (and residents) were trying to KEEP City Council from changing the zoning. Those of us who were there were floored to hear Bob Hernandez propose letting the citizens vote for an entertainment tax to pay for more police, right on the heels of defending his decision to rezone a parcel from paying the TOT tax that already pays for half of our cops! But then, few of us can accuse Bob of thinking things through lately. And I campaigned for him....

[Chip Hanlon]

Can anyone make sense of poster Debbie's message? Please translate so I can feel appropriately ashamed.

In the meantime: thank much you post Debbie feedback for.

[Anaheim H.O.M.E.]

Almost every theme park in this country has an entertainment tax. Dodger stadium has an entertainment tax.

Disneyland is getting a free ride by not having to pay for all of the city services they receive. Hotel visitors and Anaheim residents must pay for some of the services that Disneyland gets free.

Let us have the direct user of the services pay the tax needed to provide them.

Anaheim should have an entertainment tax that would remove the unfair tax burden on others.

[OC Reader reader]

Well, Chip, what say you? You've taken up Disney's cause. So what say you about their ballot-box zoning initiative? Will you demand an answer from Disney's allies in the business community?

[FLowerszzz]

Anaheim HOME - Disney provides more the 50% of YOUR cities tax revenue....what the hell are you talking about?

And Chip - I can NEVER make sense of Debbie's posts....lol.

[Debbie]

Bob in his email to me asked me to watch the city council meeting. I know that he reads this blog so the comment was directed at him.

[colony rabble]

Oddly enough, no other theme park in CALIFORNIA pays an entertainment tax! Not Sea World, Knott's, Magic Mountain, LegoLand. Maybe it is done in other parts of the country, but not here. Disney is not getting away with something that others pay, the others are not paying a gate tax either. And just for the record, no I do not work for the Mouse, and I sure as Heck cannot afford to take my kids there anymore. I just think that a lot of bad info is going out right now, and Disney is getting a bad rap on this one.

[just...asking]

Unfortunately this is just another example of electeds placing personal interest ahead of personal values. How can reep's support this guy? Whatever happend to supporting business and opposing taxes? Why do we loose our priciples when they are in opposition to our donors?

Disney pays more than its fair share in Anaheim. Business within the resort zone provided finanical guarantees many years ago. They took the risk, met the business challenge and delivered a strong economy to Anaheim residents. One who supports a market economy would point to the resort zone as a monumental sucesss story! Why now that the money is rolling in would we support a RHINO councilmember who is proposing new taxes and wants to limit voters rights to respond to City actions?

Mr. Hernandez, go back and remember what you stand for, remember why people voted for you, begin acting like that councilmember again!