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Kern County Taxpayers Association
331 Truxtun Avenue
Bakersfield Ca 93301
Phone:661-322-2973
Fax:661-321-9550 |
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THE KERN COUNTY TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION
The Kern County Taxpayers Association is a member-supported, 501(c)4 non-profit, whose purpose is to bring about greater economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in government through recommendations based upon the analysis of facts obtained through research.
Being non-partisan, KERNTAX is politically independent, viewing matters and policies in an objective, impartial manner, and taking positions based on the Association's adopted principles. Founded in 1939, KERNTAX has had only one bias, the best interests of Kern County taxpayers.
Section 501(c)(4) of the IRS tax code is reserved for organizations operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare. KERNTAX may engage in unlimited amounts of lobbying activity, which the IRS defines as attempts to influence legislation, but may not be primarily engaged in efforts to affect the outcomes of elections.
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| Announcements |
Exploring Brain Drain In Reverse |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 03/09/2010 06:39
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Exploring Brain Drain In Reverse
by Lisa Pinson, Kerntax Intern
March 9, 2010
Emily Wingle, a 2008 Broadcast Journalism graduate of Azusa Pacific, has moved home three months ago after working in a broadcast internship in Memphis, followed by an outdoor educational camp. When the camp wasn’t able to financially support her position, Wingle came home hoping to gain experience in her desired field: broadcast journalism.
Wingle is one of many potential young professionals that had made the trek back to Bakersfield. A glut of college graduates from outer cities and states are now returning back home after dismal job attempts elsewhere. |
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PG&E does about-face on fairness of rate structure |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 03/09/2010 06:35
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PG&E does about-face on fairness of rate structure
BY JAMES BURGER, Californian staff writer
jburger@bakersfield.com | Tuesday, Mar 09 2010 12:30 AM
Last Updated Tuesday, Mar 09 2010 12:30 AM
Gas & Electric is disputing comments about Kern electric costs made by a company spokesman in a county Board of Supervisors meeting last week.
In an opinion page letter printed in Monday’s Californian and a full-page ad today, Pacific Gas & Electric Senior Vice President Tom Bottorff tells local customers the utility company is striving to address local price concerns.
And he tried to defuse some of the damage done March 2 when PG&E spokesman Ken Cooper acknowledged that the current electrical rate structure is unfair to customers in Kern, Tulare and Kings counties because the area’s hot climate often pushes them into the upper three tiers of the rate structure. |
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PG & E agrees local rates are unfair |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 03/09/2010 06:27
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PG & E agrees local rates are unfair
BY JAMES BURGER, Californian staff writer
jburger@bakersfield.com | Tuesday, Mar 02 2010 05:39 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Mar 02 2010 06:46 PM
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. power bills in Kern County are unfair, company spokesman Ken Cooper told the Kern County Board of Supervisors Tuesday.
Customers here pay higher costs for power to keep bills low in the San Francisco Bay area and other temperate parts of the company’s territory. |
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Conflict of Interest Within The County of Kern |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 03/09/2010 06:22
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Conflict of Interest Within The County of Kern
by Lisa Pinson, KERNTAX Intern
18 January, 2010
With authority comes responsibility; and with responsibility comes honesty. If a person with a leadership title takes advantage of his role and the benefits that come with his job, it is very possible that he could be involved with conflict of interest. |
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Taxpayer advocate calls on county to rebel against PG&E |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 03/04/2010 03:02
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Taxpayer advocate calls on county to rebel against PG&E
PG&E: Spokesman says utility sensitive to claims
BY JAMES BURGER, Californian staff writer
jburger@bakersfield.com | Friday, Feb 26 2010 08:37 PM
Last Updated Friday, Feb 26 2010 08:54 PM
Michael Turnipseed of the Kern County Taxpayer's Association is of the opinion that Bakersfield, and much of California's Central Valley, are the punch line of a statewide joke about electrical power. |
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Health Care Meeting Seeks To Serve A Growing And Diverse Population |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 03/04/2010 02:55
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by Lisa Pinson, KERNTAX Intern
February 23, 2010
The Kern Economic Development Corporation led an open discussion last Wednesday at the newly structured Padre Hotel with those in medical professions. Although no extraordinary solutions were made, health and business supervisors were able to voice their opinions and observations regarding how to make Kern County a more desirable place in which to gain medical treatment. |
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CSUB budget cuts will hurt sports, student fees and staffing |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 03/04/2010 02:48
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CSUB budget cuts will hurt sports, student fees and staffing
By Lisa Pinson, KERNTAX Intern
February 18, 2010
CSUB President Horace Mitchell unveiled a proposal Thursday to cut the college’s budget even deeper than it has already been cut. Plans include raising student fees by 10 percent, reducing staff, suspending winter commencement, and eliminating four sports programs among other programs and services for the 2010-11 school year. |
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“Attempted Smear of Climate Change Watchdog Group Fails Miserably.” |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 01/20/2010 01:40
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Opinion Letter to the Editor, Bakersfield Californian
Re: “Business group loses ‘green’ members in global-warming fight (January 17)
by Michael Turnipseed
Editor:
A more accurate headline for this article would have been “Attempted Smear of Climate Change Watchdog Group Fails Miserably.”
The AB 32 Implementation Group represents almost 200 diverse stakeholders, including the Kern County Taxpayers Association, who are constructively engaged in the public process of crafting policies that will help achieve the goals of California’s Global Warming Solutions Act without bankrupting the families and businesses already struggling to survive a prolonged recession and record-high unemployment.
Your readers would have been better served if the reporter, rather than focusing on 2% of the Group’s membership’s alleged doubts, had related what the Group is worried about.
Economists at Sacramento State University recently concluded that the annual costs arising from AB 32 implementation are likely to result in the loss of more than $182 billion in gross state output, the equivalent of more than 1.1 million jobs, nearly $76.8 billion in labor income, and nearly $5.8 billion in indirect business taxes.
And the California Air Resources Board’s own Economic Allocation and Advisory Committee projected significant energy cost increases and job losses from AB 32. The Committee has suggested a new tax that could total $143 billion or so over ten years to mitigate those impacts.
The unelected political appointees at CARB clearly are not focusing on the economic meltdown that will result from fiscally irresponsible emissions reduction policies. The AB 32 Implementation Group should be commended for holding the agency accountable to the people who’ll have to pay the bill.
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Litigation is eating away our tax dollars |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 11/23/2009 12:19
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Letter to the Bakersfield Californian
Litigation is eating away our tax dollars
By Michael Turnipseed
Executive Director
Kern County Taxpayers Association.
Friday, Nov 20 2009
The battle cry across every level of government is the same these days: "We don't have enough money." Our taxes have been raised statewide and we're constantly being threatened with even more tax increases. Cities and counties throughout California are working on ballot measures to take more of our tax money just to keep local governments afloat. The message we as taxpayers are being sent is clear -- our tax dollars are not providing enough revenue to effectively run government at the state and local levels. |
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Oil Severance Tax is a Bad Idea |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 11/04/2009 07:35
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November 4, 2009
Letter to the Editor
Bakersfield Californian
Re: “Old debate, new twist: Pitch to tax oil production comes up again” (November 3)
Editor:
A severance tax on California oil production was a bad idea when voters overwhelmingly rejected it a few years ago, it was a bad idea when the Legislature rejected it in previous sessions, and it’s a bad idea now. |
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Californians Against Higher Taxes Media Event |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 10/21/2009 11:49
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Californians Against Higher Taxes Media Event
Wednesday, October 12, 2009, 10 AM
Kern County Taxpayers Association Office
331 Truxtun Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93301-5313
661-322-2973
Comments by Mike Turnipseed, Executive Director
Kern County Taxpayers Association
Good morning, I am Michael Turnipseed, Executive Director of the Kern County Taxpayers Association. We are here today because the State Legislature, elected by the voters of our state to represent our interests, continue to contemplate even higher taxes on Californians. One public employee union has proposed 31 new taxes on consumers and businesses in excess of $40 billion over the next two years. Special interests want to raise taxes that will increase the costs of consumer goods including gasoline, vehicle license fees, beverages, and even internet purchases. They even want to tax services we all use – like nursery schools, auto repairs and even funeral services!
A state government tax commission has been considering a variety of these additional tax increases, as well as a new, an untested tax on employers. The Business Net Receipts Tax would ultimately amount to a tax on jobs. Now, our State Legislature has carte blanche to enact these new proposals along with their own tax increases in a special session called by the Governor. In short, we are facing a Pandora’s Box of potential new taxes on Californians.
They’re also considering a new tax on California oil production, which could be extremely harmful to Kern County, since we produce seventy percent of the state’s oil production.
We know there is a state budget deficit, but the worst thing the Legislature can do is impose even more onerous tax burdens on business. Higher taxes mean more lay-offs, higher consumer prices and fewer revenues for state and local governments.
Instead, the Legislature should do everything it can to get our economy back and help California businesses survive and flourish. Instead of hearings on new taxes, they should be holding hearings on how to encourage job growth. We need to put more Californians back to work and create a healthy economy. That’s the best way to increase state and local tax revenues to fund vital services.
Thank you for taking the time to cover this important event.
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State regulations cost $493 billion, 3.8 million jobs |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 09/23/2009 06:39
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from ocregister.com
State regulations cost $493 billion, 3.8 million jobs
September 23rd, 2009, 6:00 am
posted by Jan Norman, small-business columnist
The total cost of state regulations on businesses is $493 billion and 3.8 million jobs according to the first-of-its kind study.
That’s an average of $134,122 per California business, $13,801 per household and $4,685 per resident each year.
The California report is significant, according to the Governor’s Office of Small Business Advocate, because small businesses are 98% of the state’s enterprises and provide 52% of the jobs.
The study parallels a 2005 federal report on business regulations commissioned by the Office of Advocacy within the U.S. Small Business Administration.That report concluded that federal regulations cost $7,647 per employee for businesses with fewer than 20 employees.
This state report is based on data used by Forbes magazine’s annual ranking of state for business friendliness. It does not single out specific regulations that drive up costs. |
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Opposition to Split Roll and Oil Severance Tax Proposals |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 09/03/2009 11:14
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Mr. Gerald Parsky, Chairman
Commission on the 21st Century Economy
c/o State of California Department of Finance
915 L Street, 8th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Chairman Parsky,
The Kern County Taxpayers Association is steadfastly opposed to the split roll tax proposal being considered by the Commission for a 21st Century Economy. A split roll tax will hurt struggling small businesses, raise costs for renters and consumers, cost tens of thousands of jobs and hinder California’s economic recovery...
In addition, KERNTAX adamantly opposes implementation of an oil severance tax. An oil severance tax would create a great deal of volatility if it is a part of the state revenue structure. Revenues would rise and fall as world oil prices rise and fall. Over the past 18 months, oil prices have fluctuated from approximately $45 per barrel to $140 per barrel. California already ranks sixth among oil-producing states in taxing oil production; this proposal would make California by far the highest taxing state. More specifically, seventy percent of California's oil production occurs in Kern County. This proposed tax would have a devastating effect on the finances of local government in the county, which is already reeling from the state's raids on local revenues. |
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Kern County Assessor's Office and Assessment Appeals |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 09/01/2009 01:42
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Comments to the Kern County Board of Supervisors
By Michael Turnipseed, Executive Director
Kern County Taxpayers’ Association
September 1, 2009
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Board. I am Michael Turnipseed, representing the Kern County Taxpayers’ Association.
At last week’s meeting, your Board confirmed the July 21 decision to supplement the budgets of the Animal Control and the Library Departments with funds used from the Strategic Reserve Account.
Two additional requests to find the needed funding for the Assessor’s office and the Probation Department were referred to the CAO.
We received several phone calls from our members asking this question: “Is the Animal Control Department’s Public Education and Enforcement Team (PEET) a higher priority to our county than giving the Assessor’s office the tools he requests to certify the tax roles and defend the values he certifies against appeals?” |
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“Introduction of Kern Leaders Academy” |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 08/13/2009 11:05
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Press Conference
Prepared Statement
“Introduction of Kern Leaders Academy”
By Michael Turnipseed, Executive Director
Kern County Taxpayers Education Fund
July 29, 2009
Since 1939, the Kern County Taxpayers Association has been a member-supported, non-partisan, non-profit corporation, whose purpose is to bring about, through cooperative effort and communication, greater economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in government, basing its recommendations upon the analysis of facts obtained through research.
Being non-partisan, KERNTAX is politically independent, viewing matters and policies in an objective, impartial manner, and taking positions based on the Association’s adopted principles, that represent the best interests of Kern County taxpayers.
In April, 2008, The KERNTAX Board of Directors voted to establish the Kern County Taxpayers Education Fund to research, organize and disseminate information and education to the public and business community of Kern County, in order to facilitate economic growth and development in Kern County. On March 24, 2009, KCTEF received its nonprofit determination letter from the IRS. KCTEF’s first project is the Kern Leaders Academy, based on the San Joaquin Political Academy in Fresno.
The Kern Leaders Academy is a county-wide, community leadership program, directed by the Kern County Taxpayers Education Fund, whose purpose is to assist in the development of visionary community leaders who recognize that a healthy business climate is necessary for a strong economy, and a strong economy is necessary for a vibrant community. The Academy will provide education and training to civic, professional and business leaders and others with outstanding leadership potential so that they may enter public service with the appropriate skills and vision to address creatively the challenges facing Kern County. |
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2010 County Budget Issues |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 07/20/2009 05:57
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Comments to the Kern County Board of Supervisors
2010 County Budget Issues
By Michael Turnipseed
Executive Director
July 20, 2009
Chairman McQuiston, Members of the Board. I am Michael Turnipseed, representing the Kern County Taxpayers Association. KERNTAX is a member-supported, non-profit corporation whose purpose is to bring about, through cooperative effort and communication, greater economy, efficiency and effectiveness in government agencies in Kern County, basing its recommendations upon the analysis of facts obtained through research.
We want to thank you for providing KERNTAX and the general public this opportunity to comment on the new county budget. KERNTAX also wants to thank the County CAO, Mr. Nilon, his staff, and the many department heads for all of the time and consideration they provided KERNTAX in understanding this budget and its finer points.
It has been quite a year: major mid-year budget adjustments, a new CAO, several new department heads, a new budget being adopted this week and a dysfunctional state government in Sacramento.
It is reasonable to assume that the State of California will remain dysfunctional for some time. The national recession is also not likely to end soon. Thus, the County of Kern will face tough financial times for the foreseeable future. |
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Oil Severance Tax |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 07/02/2009 01:28
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Media Event Comments on Oil Severance Tax
Californians Against Higher Taxes
By Michael Turnipseed, Executive Director
Kern County Taxpayers Association
July 2, 2009
Good morning, I am Michael Turnipseed, Executive Director of the Kern County Taxpayers Association.
KERNTAX opposes the State Legislature’s attempt to impose a Oil Severance Tax for several reasons:
Six states—Texas, Louisiana, Alaska, California, Oklahoma, and Wyoming—account for 80 percent of all oil produced in the United States. |
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Questions about Sheriff's Budget |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 07/01/2009 02:29
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Comments to the Board of Supervisors
Questions Concerning the Sheriff’s Budget
By Michael Turnipseed, Executive Director
Kern County Taxpayers Association
Chairman McQuiston, Members of the Board, I am Michael Turnipseed, representing the Kern County Taxpayers Association.
Yesterday, we received the attached fax with questions concerning the Sheriff’s budget. Many of these questions are worthy of your consideration. We respectfully request that your Board address some of the issues brought forth in this fax.
Thank you for your time and consideration of these questions for the Sheriff. |
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Mark your Calendar |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 07/01/2009 02:25
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Comments to the Kern County Board of Supervisors
‘Mark Your Calendars”
By Michael Turnipseed, Executive Director
Kern County Taxpayers Association
June 30, 2009
Chairman McQuiston, Members of the Board, I am Michael Turnipseed, representing the Kern County Taxpayers Association.
Today, June 30, 2009, government agencies across California will be benchmarking the values of their individual pension funds. On this day, one year ago, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, our nation’s benchmark indicator of stock values, was 11,350. This morning, when the markets opened, the Dow was 8,530, a 25 percent decline.
On June 30, 2008, Kern County’s pension fund had $2.8 billion in liabilities, with only $2.1 billion in assets. Today’s value of those assets is approximately $1.57 billion, which represents a loss of value of 25 percent or over $500 million. |
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Proposed Solutions to the Current Budget Crisis |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 06/16/2009 01:57
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Proposed Solutions to the Current Budget Crisis
Comments to the Kern County Board of Supervisors
By Michael Turnipseed, Executive Director
Kern County Taxpayers Association
June 16, 2009
Chairman McQuiston and Members of the Board:
I am Michael Turnipseed, representing the Kern County Taxpayers Association. Mr. Chairman, at last week’s Board meeting, you asked us for some solutions to the current budget crisis. The challenges you face are mammoth in nature; but the long term fiscal health of the county is at risk if critical issues are not addressed with a sense of urgency. KERNTAX has taken your request very seriously. Our primary goal is to identify areas were the county can cut costs so it can maintain core services: deputies on the street, prisoners in jail, and firemen in the fire stations.
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PENSION REFORM FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS A NECESSITY – YES, EVEN FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 06/08/2009 12:49
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from Flashreport
PENSION REFORM FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS A NECESSITY – YES, EVEN FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT
Zack Scrivner, Vice-Mayor of the City of Bakersfield
June 3, 2009
In January 2000, Senate Bill 400, signed by former Governor Gray Davis, went into effect. That is the law that added the 3% @ 50 retirement benefit option for state and local public safety employees. Two years later, Davis signed AB 616, which extended the 3% @ 60 retirement benefit option to non-safety state and local government employees. Immediately, public employee unions representing state and local government workers lobbied elected officials hard to approve the enhanced benefit levels. The unions were successful, and what has followed can only be described as one of the most egregious giveaways of taxpayer money in the history of California. |
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Police Union Attempting to Censor the Press |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 05/29/2009 05:58
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People's Republic of California:
Police Union Attempting to Censor the Press
This may be the scariest story ever written for the Cal-Taxletter. A police union is trying to stifle newspaper criticism of generous government benefits for employees.
In this case, the union representing Los Angeles police officers is pressing the new owner of the San Diego Union-Tribune to change its stance on public employee labor issues and fire its editorial writers.
Platinum Equity, the recent purchaser of the Union-Tribune, relies on pension funds of public employees for cash to make acquisitions.
Los Angeles Police Protective League President Paul Weber wrote to Platinum Equity Chief Executive Tom Gores on March 26: "Since the very public employees they continually criticize are now their owners, we strongly believe that those who currently run the editorial pages should be replaced."
Union-Tribune editor Bob Kittle said that while the paper has run several editorials criticizing the benefits and pension commitments made to public employees, the paper is not anti-public employee. "All of this has to be considered in the context of what the city can afford," he said. (Source: Los Angeles Times, May 22.)
Cal-Taxletter, May 29, 2009
© 2009 California Taxpayers' Association. All Rights Reserved.
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The path to California's fiscal crisis |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 05/18/2009 11:01
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Friday, May 15, 2009
The path to California's fiscal crisis
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer
California has always been a trendsetter. What happens in California often pops up elsewhere. Which raises this question: Are the perpetual billion-dollar deficits that haunt California state government unique to the Golden State or the harbinger of what other states can expect?
The answer, analysts say, is that although most states are experiencing some of the same financial stress, California’s woes are its own. At the same time, other states can take a cue from California's troubles. |
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Mark to Market Accounting Congressional Testimony by Bill Issac |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 03/13/2009 12:20
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TESTIMONY of WILLIAM M. ISAAC
CHAIRMAN, THE SECURA GROUP OF LECG
FORMER CHAIRMAN, FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION
before the SUBCOMMITTEE ON CAPITAL MARKETS, INSURANCE, AND GOVERNMENT
SPONSORED ENTERPRISES,
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL SERVICES
WASHINGTON, DC
March 12, 2009
Thank you Chairman Kanjorski, Ranking Member Garrett, and Members of theCommittee for conducting this very important hearing on mark-to-market (MTM)accounting.
I use the term “mark to market accounting,” rather than “fair value accounting. ”Everyone’s goal is a fair and descriptive accounting system. There is nothing “fair” about the misleading and destructive accounting regime promoted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Accounting Standards Board under the rubric “fair value accounting.”
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Crisis as Catalyst: Reinventing the County of Kern |
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Posted by: mturnipseed on 03/03/2009 12:15
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Comments to the Kern County Board of Supervisors
Crisis as Catalyst: Reinventing the County of Kern
Presented by Michael Turnipseed, Executive Director
Kern County Taxpayers Association
March 3, 2009
Can Do Attitude
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." – Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning.
It is reasonable to assume that the State of California will remain dysfunctional for some time. The national recession is also not likely to end soon. Thus, the County of Kern will face tough financial times for the foreseeable future. |
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