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Vote NO on Measure A - the Santa Clara County 1/2 cent sales tax increase

Proponents for Measure A include the powerful:

• Powerful business organizations that want BART to come to San Jose, such as Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) which funded Measure A. This is the same group that funded another Measure A in 2000 promising to bring BART to Silicon Valley. The taxpayers of Santa Clara county approved that Measure A and we still don't have BART. Do you see a "Wave upon Wave of Requests for Sales Tax Increases" coming your way?

• Community-based organizations that receive funds from the county. Organizations receiving money from the county's general fund include religious organizations, health organizations, and others totalling 160+ organizations. Catholic charities receive the lion's share of the funds going to religious organizations. One of the "Yes on A" proponents on the sample ballot is the president of the catholic university, The University of Santa Clara. Catholic charity groupis group receive hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

• The county's own Valley Transportation Authority (TVA). This department is going to share the money head to head with the Valley Medical Center (VMC). The TVA and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group were the two initial proponents for the sales tax increase proposal. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors followed along.

• The county hospital also known as the Valley Medical Center (VMC) wants their share of the tax increase as well. The Valley Medical Center is the other darling of the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors. In fiscal year (FY) 1995, VMC spent $689 million dollars. In FY 2007, the Gross Appropriation Trend is $939.9 million. The county projects 2010 figures of $975 million. Since the county hospital treats anyone without regard to ones's ability to pay, the costs are going to continue to escalate. Based on cited numbers, we can guesstimate FY 2012 Gross Appropriation as over a billion dollars.  

The TVA and VMC departments are going to share the windfall tax monies head to head. Like carnivores on a bewildered lamb, the TVA and VMC will fight each other vigouslly for the taxpayer's offering. 

Citizens Against Measure A include everyday citizens:

• Taxpayers
• Citizens that want honest government
• Eugene Bradley, founder of the Santa Clara VTA Riders Union
• Greg Perry, Vice Mayor, Mountain View
• Mark Bradley, Small business owner, Mayor of Monte Sereno
• Patrick Moore, Member 1996 Measure B Citizen's Watchdog Committee
• David Casas, Council Member, City of Los Altos & Former VTA Board Member
• Douglas A. McNea, President, Silicon Valley Taxpayers' Association
• Kevin Takenaga, Chair, Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County