(CA Gov. Jerry) Brown will seek taxes before vote of people

[alp227]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

(05-16) 11:25 PDT Sacramento -- A significant uptick in tax revenues has reduced California's budget deficit to under $10 billion, Gov. Jerry Brown said today as he released his major revision of the state spending plan.

The governor also said he will ask the Legislature to approve billions of dollars worth of tax extensions before voters have a chance to say whether they support them. Brown, who campaigned on a promise not to increase taxes without a vote of the people, said he will ask the public to later ratify those tax extensions at the ballot box.

Tax revenues will be $6.6 billion higher over the next 14 months, according to projections from the Department of Finance and the new deficit is $9.6 billion. The increased revenue prompted Brown to abandon tax increases he had sought on personal income.

The revised plan calls for $10.8 billion in total solutions, in order to have a $1.2 billion reserve. Under his revised plan, schools would get $3 billion more than Brown originally proposed in January.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/16/BAQ51JGP5U.DTL

[IamK]

1. interesting twist on a campaign "promise"

The governor also said he will ask the Legislature to approve billions of dollars worth of tax extensions before voters have a chance to say whether they support them. Brown, who campaigned on a promise not to increase taxes without a vote of the people, said he will ask the public to later ratify those tax extensions at the ballot box


When is later? sounds like MAYBE Fall....

[Taverner]

2. I'm a California homeowner and I WANT MORE TAXES!!!

Tax the rich, tax me but RAISE TAXES!!!

Bitter pill, but necessary

[slackmaster]

3. You always have the option to make a voluntary donation to the state General Fund

I think I pay more than my fair share of taxes.

[CreekDog]

6. i want you to pay to make this a better state

not just foist it off on others.

what's your annual property tax bill and what's your house worth?

[KathyVet]

7. And I want YOU to pay more, too

What is your income? And what is your house worth? And what do you pay in property and income taxes?


Sheesh!

[CreekDog]

8. No tax increases for anybody? That's fine --we just won't be the best nation in the world

being the best nation in the world doesn't come at a lower tax rate than anywhere else.

so if you're fine with being a nation that is first in wealth (highest GDP per capita) but not first in any other measures that amount to normal quality of life --then we can keep taxes exactly where they are.

that's the deal.

and yes, when my income is good, i'm happy to pay taxes. when someone's income is down or disappears, then they need a break.

[KathyVet]

9. I didn't say no tax increases for anybody,

did I?

[CreekDog]

10. look at what you were responding to and what he was responding to

the reason i said i want *him* to pay more is that he doesn't want to pay more and even suggested a donation by another poster to help the state's education funding.

i have said many, many, many times i'm willing to pay more.

i was responding to his post where he's basically washing his hands of paying more as he always does.

[shanti]

4. tax extensions, not new taxes

we're already paying them, they'll just be continued. btw, i agree with you.

[defendandprotect]

5. kr