The promoters of the new cell phone tax, City of Chico Measure J, are telling people the measure will  lower their taxes. This is not true - the tax is being expanded to forms of electronic communication, like cell phones and pagers, that were not legally taxed before.

The tax can be further expanded - this measure allows the Finance Director to add any new forms of electronic communication that may be introduced to the consumer, at any time in the future, without voter approval. And the tax rate can be raised by vote of council, again, without voter approval.

 Measure J proponents are using the same old tactic - they are holding "public safety" up like a baby and threatening to throw the baby out the window if they don't get this tax increase. According to Ann Schwab's argument in favor,  failure to pass this tax increase "will result in reduced police and fire services..." as well as  " road maintenance and park funds. " 

Of course we need a competent and adequate staff, public safety and otherwise. But there is nothing in the text of this measure that guarantees we'll get that. The revenues from Measure J will go into the General Fund, from which they can be spent at the discretion of council, on anything from Spirit Flags to the unmet pension obligations left to us by the CalPERS disaster.

Please vote NO on Measure J - NO CELL PHONE TAX!