Oakland City Councilwoman Jean Quan has become the poster-child for what not to do in a steep recession. Now that her wrongheaded plan to raise parcel taxes is all but dead, Quan is proposing to raise the city sales tax to 10.25 percent during the worst economic downturn in decades, according to the Trib and Chron. Quan says the half-cent tax increase will raise about $8 million in revenue for the city. But sales taxes are arguably even more regressive than parcel taxes, because they disproportionately affect low and lower-middle income residents, the very people who can least afford it during these tough times. Let’s hope Quan’s latest scheme dies, too. We’re glad to see that Council President Jane Brunner and Vice Mayor Ignacio De La Fuente both oppose the idea.
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