NEWS RELEASE

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Oct. 23, 2006
Contact: Ed Frank or Annie Patnaude, (703) 408-0572 or (202) 441-5193

Americans for Prosperity Kicks Off Statewide
“California Taxpayer Trust Tour” in Sacramento
Citizen Group Condemns Wasteful Use of Tax Dollars by First 5 Commission

SACRAMENTO – The national free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity, in collaboration with the California-based Reason Foundation and the Pacific Research Institute, launched its seven-city “Taxpayer Trust Tour” at a news conference at the State Capitol today. The road tour, which will spotlight local examples of waste and mismanagement in state government, is intended to raise awareness about wasteful state spending before citizens decide on several statewide ballot initiatives that would hike taxes and authorize additional taxpayer debt.

The citizen group’s first target was the $23 million in tax dollars used by the First 5 Commission for a TV ad campaign touting the benefits of universal preschool. The taxpayer-funded “preschool for all” campaign came at the same time that then-First 5 Commission Chairman Rob Reiner was collecting signatures to put universal preschool on the California ballot.

“Before taxpayers agree to higher taxes or more debt, they should consider how the state spent the revenue that was generated via the Proposition 10 tax hike,” said Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips. “At least $23 million of those tax dollars were squandered on an ad campaign through the First 5 Commission extolling the virtues of ‘preschool for all.’”

This November, California taxpayers will consider a variety of ballot propositions that would hike cigarette taxes from 87 cents to $3.47 (the nation’s highest rate), increase taxes on California-produced oil, levy a statewide property tax on homeowners and impose new taxes on many employers. Americans for Prosperity is calling on citizens to consider the irresponsible way the state has managed the tax dollars it already has, before approving higher taxes or more debt.  

“Out-of-control state spending is burying Californians in new and higher taxes and piling up mountains of state debt,” said Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips. “California’s taxpayers should know just how much of their hard-earned money is wasted in Sacramento before they agree to fork over one additional dollar. That’s what we hope to accomplish with this Taxpayer Trust Tour – to simply show California taxpayers how their money is being wasted.”

Sacramento is the first stop on the statewide “Taxpayer Trust Tour.” The Tour will highlight six other local examples of wasteful state spending and fiscal mismanagement at events in Marin County, Fresno, Bakersfield, Malibu, and Orange County, before concluding in San Diego on Thursday, Oct. 26. A full schedule can be found online at www.AmericansForProsperity.com.    

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

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