FACT CHECK: Tom Campbell Distorts His Record
January 20, 2010
Sacramento, CA – Carly for California Deputy Campaign Manager for Communications Julie Soderlund today issued the following statement in response to Tom Campbell’s disingenuous e-mail to supporters about his fiscal record:
“It’s disappointing to see just how far Tom Campbell will go to distort his record in an effort to garner more support and raise more money. Campbell has repeatedly touted himself as a ‘fiscal conservative,’ yet his record reflects a far different picture that includes supporting higher taxes and increased government spending.
“While serving as Director of the Department of Finance in 2005, Campbell’s so-called ‘balanced budget’ solution was to spend more money and commit the state to ongoing spending it couldn’t afford then and still can’t afford today. And his solution to our state’s current budget crisis is to raise our taxes further – at a time when our economy and our state’s taxpayers can least afford it. To this day, he still refuses to sign the Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge, meaning he continues to view tax hikes as a legitimate budget-balancing solution.
“These are not the fiscally responsible solutions Californians are looking for. Clearly, Tom Campbell is realizing he can’t win on his record – but neither can he win by trying to cover it up.”
Campbell Refuses To Sign The “No New Taxes Pledge”
Campbell Publicly Refused To Sign A No-Tax Pledge As He Launched His Senate Campaign In January 2010. “Campbell, however, said he would not sign a No-Tax Pledge because, he argued, no one can anticipate every situation that might arise.” (Joel Fox, “Campbell Defends Fiscal Record As He Campaigns For U.S. Senate,” Fox & Hounds, 1/19/10)
2005 Budget – Campbell Backed Increased Spending, More Borrowing
Campbell “Conceded That The Budget Contains Significant Borrowing.” “Tom Campbell, Schwarzenegger’s new finance director, conceded that the budget contains significant borrowing. But he said there wasn’t anything deceptive about it.” (Gary Delsohn, “Plan Relies Heavily On Borrowing,” Sacramento Bee, 1/11/05)
Campbell Blamed The Political Process For The Excessive Spending And Borrowing Contained In The 2005 Budget. “This year by May, Schwarzenegger had backed away from a proposal to end grants to senior citizens to help them cover rent or property taxes; he also added money for some social programs and increased the rates the state pays some health providers to treat the poor. In the budget he eventually signed, after negotiations with legislative leaders from the two parties, he also reneged on his calls for cuts to the state’s portion of in-home care workers’ wages. He also used better-than-expected revenues to avoid significant new borrowing and to accelerate repayment of some debt the state already owed. That, says Schwarzenegger’s finance director, Tom Campbell, is what drove up the state’s spending numbers so much this year. He also said leaders from the Democratic-controlled Legislature simply would not accept the depth of cuts the governor sought. ‘The governor would have liked to (cut more) as well, and a budget in the present context requires compromise and this was the best agreement that could be reached,’ Campbell said. ‘It’s the process. That’s clearly the result of bargaining.’” (Alexa H. Bluth, “Governor Caught In Spending Trap,” Sacramento Bee, 8/14/05)
Support For Higher Taxes
Earlier In 2009, Campbell Publicly Supported Tax Increases Overwhelmingly Rejected By California Voters. “Campbell’s other gamble is to be The Republican who backs Proposition 1A, the spending-cap-but-it-comes-with-tax-increases measure that will be on the May 19 special election ballot. Whitman and Poizner both oppose the measure being championed by Schwarzenegger, Democratic legislative leaders and the handful of Republicans who voted for Sacramento’s most recent budget. That’s right – Campbell is supporting a measure that continues the current budget’s sales tax, income tax and vehicle license fee increases for another two years.” (Debra Saunders, “Campbell Is Banking On His Experience,” San Gabriel Valley Tribune, 4/12/09)
Campbell Supported An Extension Of Temporary Tax Hikes In 2009. “One potential Democratic gubernatorial rival, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, endorsed Proposition 1A last week. A Republican hopeful, former Rep. Tom Campbell, also has backed the measure. Proposition 1A would limit future spending growth and transfer money into a “rainy-day fund” to be used in economic slowdowns. That part has drawn fire from some labor unions. But Proposition 1A also would extend $16 billion worth of temporary tax hikes on sales, income and vehicles by as many as two more years, which has angered anti-tax groups.” (Kevin Yamamura, “Brown Says Prop. 1A Will Help ‘Next Governor’,” Capitol Alert, 4/14/09)
Campbell Proposes Raising California’s Gas Tax By 32-Cents. “Campbell, who was Schwarzenegger’s finance director in 2004-05, also has employed a potentially risky strategy by outlining on his Web site exactly how he’d close the state’s $24 billion deficit. Perhaps the most unusual piece is a temporary 32-cent gas hike; he’d use the money to prevent the firing of teachers, an increase in class sizes and elimination of community college courses. In a talk before the Silicon Valley Leadership Group on Friday, Campbell acknowledged that recommending a gas tax was ‘third-rail politics.’” (Ken McLaughlin, “Can Tom Campbell Upset Billionaires Running For California Governor?,” San Jose Mercury News, 6/19/09)
Conservatives Balk At Campbell’s Positions Such As His Support For Tax Increases. “Social conservatives also balk at Campbell’s support of abortion rights, gay marriage and some tax increases.” (Jack Chang, “Campbell Stresses Policy Experience In California Race For Governor,” Sacramento Bee, 10/13/09)
“He Also Would Not Rule Out Taxing Sales On The Internet.” (Peter Nicholas and Evan Halper, “State Gets A New Finance Chief,” Los Angeles Times, 11/5/04)
