OC Political

Diamond Bar Councilman Steve Tye has thrown his hat in the ring as a GOP Candidate for State Assembly in the 55th Assembly District.

Mr. Tye was first elected to the Diamond Bar City Council in November 2005 after losing in a bitter June 2005 Special Election contest to Jack Tanaka for a seat that was vacant due to Bob Huff elevation to the State Assembly in 2004.  Mr. Tye has been re-elected in 2009 and as recently in 2013.

On June 25, 2013, OC Political article entitled “55th AD Watch:  Another Candidate Dual Run?” inquired at the time whether Councilman Tye was flirting a run for two offices:  City Council and State Assembly.

Those inquiries are now put to a rest with confirmation that Mr. Tye is indeed an Assembly candidate.

However, Mr. Tye position on taxes and fees may not sit well with Conservative voters in the GOP safe Assembly District, especially in North Orange County portion of the 55th Assembly District.

On September 21, 2010, the Diamond Bar City Council unanimously approved an increase of user fees for Community Services, Public Works and Community Development Departments to be phased in the next three years tied with CPI (Consumer Price Index) beginning on July 1, 2010.

Diamond Bar City Manager James DeStefano submitted the 40 page report to the council for approval.

This contributor spoke to the Diamond Bar City Council on September 21, 2010 with a reminder that an increase of user fees are misguided in an unstable economy and that such user fees are taxes which comes out of someone’s pocket one way or the other.

Councilmember Tye was adamant with a defensive tone, according to September 21, 2010 Council Minutes, by stating:

“…this is not a tax but a user fee.”

“…was a proponent for adding a fee for licensing a cat.”

“…it is appropriate if it costs $100 to issue a permit to have a water heater install in his home that he should pay the $100.”

“…likes the idea of someone plans to add to his home he pays the fees for it.”

“When the City gets closer to recovering those user fees, it will be better for all of the citizens of Diamond Bar.”

The Orange County Register Editorial on September 21, 2010 clarifies during the debate over Proposition 26 proposal to close loopholes regarding fees and the two-thirds vote requirement for approval by the state legislature:  “Calling fees what they are:  Taxes“.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has been vigorously fighting over the Fire Fee (Tax) that was approved in 2011 along party lines with Democrats support and Republicans opposed in the state legisature and signed into law by Governor Brown.

The $150 Fire Fee (Tax) for Fiscal Years 2011-12 AND 2012-2013 has effected hundreds and thousands of properties under the CalFire’s jurisdiction known as the State Responsibility Area.

So, Mr. Tye says “a fee is not a tax” may not have read the Orange County Register article, has a lack of understanding of why HJTA is fighting a fire fee that is a tax and surely has a lot of explaining to the voters in the 55th Assembly District whom loathe fees AND taxes.