Sheffo Takes Anti-Tax Pledge [press release]

Challenges fellow candidates to do the same

ENCINITAS – Joe Sheffo, candidate for Encinitas City Council, today formally announced that, if elected, he will not support any new taxes, fees, or assessments. He challenges his fellow candidates for city council to do the same by taking the following pledge:

"I, (candidate’s name), pledge, both as a member of the Encinitas City Council and any regional governing bodies, that I will oppose any new tax, fee or assessment. I understand that this pledge is effective the day I am sworn in and continues until my term of office is complete."

“There’s not much we can do about the tax hikes being contemplated in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., but local leaders should stand up to the many city and county taxes, fees, and assessments that add to the tax burden,” said Sheffo. “I challenge all of my competitors – Republicans, Democrats, independents, and Green Party members alike – to take this pledge.”

Follow up:

This pledge is not effective until after Election Day because several candidates in the race for Encinitas City Council are already leading efforts to pass Proposition K, a local tax increase that will be on the ballot this November. Proposition K is the second version of a similar tax measure, Prop G, that Encinitas voters defeated in June of this year.

Sheffo has vocally opposed both Props G and K, as well as the countywide parcel tax for fire services that will also be on November’s ballot.

In addition, Sheffo is committed to defeating the San Diego Association of Governments’ “Quality of Life” sales tax that will likely appear on the 2010 ballot. This pledge applies to that tax and any other tax proposed between December 2008 and December 2012.

Those candidates wanting to take the pledge should submit a letter to the editor of the Coast News between now and Labor Day indicating their support.

For more information about the Sheffo campaign, including details on how to contribute, please visit www.sheffo4council.com.