Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, who last week said he would go to jail unless San Joaquin Valley agriculture gets more water, now says his protest may not be that dramatic. Instead of refusing to pay his income taxes, he might now just take a tax deduction for making a contribution to communities that have a lot of farmworkers who are suffering because of the drought.
So Bad Bubba has now become Please-Don't-Put-Me-In-Jail Bubba.
This is what Autry told Bee reporter John Ellis about his protest:
Autry said he wanted to clarify his income tax position. Autry says it is too late for this year's taxes for him, but next year he intends to either withhold his income tax and -- this was the point he wanted to make -- donate that money to west side towns that need it such as Tranquillity, Mendota, Firebaugh, Five Points, etc. OR, he said, he might donate the money and then seek a deduction on his income taxes. "Whichever one works the best and gets the most help to people," he said.It seems he is talking more of state than federal taxes, because he kept railing on Sacramento. He said tax money "all goes to the state to keep the water from us." He then dubbed withholding the tax money or donating it the "Sacramento Insanity Deduction."
Like any 'actor', Mayor Autry gave his lines to an audience and they did not get the response he wanted. Curtain came down, Mayor Autry reworked the lines, Curtain back up, and Mayor Autry is trying a different set of lines to a play not one really finds belivable.
Nice try.
I am sick of our elected officials in Sacramento sayiong crap to get elected then not following through like on promises of water for the central valley. What about all those imfamous guys who have families farming in the area so they understand what is needed. This issue is not up to Autry. It ios all about the bickering of children in the legislature that need to grow up and work together.
Told ya so. You can't believe anything this man says, ESPECIALLY when it comes to feigning concern over our "water shortage." Ask him about the SECRET water diversion taking place in Fresno - behind the real estate fraud/theft and suspected homicide being covered up. Annihilation of various residents - that is how property is vacated in order to access the water system. Shhhhh .... its a secret.