Actually as I recall the state was having big surpluses similar to now so he campaigned on eliminating it using those funds. Then the Dot Com Bubble popped around 2000 and the recession hit causing a massive drop in revenue. The state ended up having to cap the rebate and it’s never been raised resulting in increasing taxes each year because the amount has to be spread among more people.

Edit to add, the “stupid government spending” you’re referring to is stuff like schools and other local services. The car tax and other property taxes go straight to localities to pay for stuff like that, not to the state.

Not sure why my original comment is being downvoted unless the people doing so aren’t old enough to remember this is what happened.