FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, January 25, 2007

Calls Governor’s Proposal a Tax Increase California Can’t Afford

(Sacramento, CA) – A new television advertisement produced by the Consumer Alliance for a Strong Economy urging Californians to call the Governor and voice opposition to a multi-billion dollar tax increase has begun airing in Sacramento.

The television spot, titled “Duck,” is an effort to raise public awareness about the fact that the Governor’s plan to reform healthcare contains a significant tax increase. “The Governor has proposed increasing taxes on small businesses, doctors and hospitals. Attempts to call it anything other than a massive tax increase are simply efforts to put a political spin on the facts,” said CASE spokesman Chris Wysocki.

“There has been a lot of discussion about the need to reform healthcare in California, and the consumers and small businesses that comprise CASE applaud efforts to address the problem. However, we believe the problem can be better addressed by expanding access to healthcare – not imposing costly mandates and tax increases on Californians,” Wysocki added.

The “Duck” spot is the second advertisement produced by the Consumer Alliance for a Strong Economy that focuses on the current healthcare debate in California, and plans are underway to produce additional commercials to educate the public about the deficiencies of the various proposals as well as the positive aspects of other proposals on the table.

“CASE will continue to act as a monitor of the healthcare debate in California, and we are hopeful that the ultimate solution will be one that contains no tax increases while putting more of an emphasis on the relationship between doctors and their patients,” concluded Wysocki.

To view the commercial or to learn more about CASE, please feel free to visit www.ConsumerAlliance.org or call (916) 444-1502.