California Governor Jerry Brown (C) is applauded by Speaker of the Assembly John Perez (L) Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (R) before delivering the State of the State address at the California State Capitol on January 31, 2011 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — As Gov. Jerry Brown and other Democrats celebrate their rare on-time budget, unions and anti-tax groups already are gearing up for a fight at the ballot box over tax increases and government reforms.
In true California style, it will be up to voters to decide the way to address the state’s ongoing budget mess.
Brown had hoped to ask voters this year to extend increases in the sales, vehicle and income taxes but failed to get Republican support.
He says he hopes to resurrect the issue, but his union allies see an opportunity to move on to tax proposals they think will be more popular with voters.
The California Federation of Teachers, for example, is campaigning for a 1 percent income tax hike on the wealthy.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
17 Comments
To “extend” the taxes, will mean that they will never go away. There will never be a good time to take them away. Too many people are struggling to make ends meet. We, as families, must live within our means. The State of CA must too. They are using education to pull at the heartstrings of voters. Vote NO on this.
June 29, 2011 at 2:08 pm | | Report comment
How about a 1% increase on those who pay no taxes !
June 29, 2011 at 2:15 pm | | Report comment
I’ll vote no for tax continuations but will vote yes on pension reforms and i’m not the only one.
June 29, 2011 at 2:23 pm | | Report comment
they allways think that tax payers will bail everybody out. what happens when you wright a rubber check stop spending on what you dont have
June 29, 2011 at 2:28 pm | | Report comment
Interesting that this article uses a photograph from January 2011 for an event which occurred in June 2011. A photogrpah which shows both democractic and republican leaders applauding. Either an attempt to twist the news or….
June 29, 2011 at 2:30 pm | | Report comment
Wonder how the Democrats would feel if a new law came into effect that only those who pay taxs could vote, and those that don’t pay taxs could not vote?
June 29, 2011 at 2:31 pm | | Report comment
Because that would be a violation of the 24th Amendment…
June 29, 2011 at 2:47 pm | | Report comment
the collection of taxs is also against the law but you don’t hear people stopping that
June 29, 2011 at 4:17 pm
How about we cut spending on welfare and food stamps. They only benefit the individual and not society as a whole, which taxes should do!!! Churches and other private charities can help the needy. If they is not enough money for them to pass around that is probably cause MOST people are tired of giving away their own hard earned money!
June 29, 2011 at 2:33 pm | | Report comment
HOW ABOUT WE STOP FUNDING ILLEGAL ALIENS?
June 29, 2011 at 2:37 pm | | Report comment
HOW ABOUT WE STOP FUNDING ILLEGAL ALIENS? START DEPORTING THEM?
June 29, 2011 at 2:38 pm | | Report comment
We can’t. It’s too expensive.
June 29, 2011 at 3:02 pm | | Report comment
So what else is new?…..TAX-AND-SPEND, that’s the Lamocrats’ moto….Hopefully, we, the people, will send a message to them by TURNING DOWN ALL TAX PROPOSITIONS! …but, don’t count on it, those “counting” the ballots are also Lameocrats, so don’t be surprised if they tell us that the ballot count was in favor of more taxes.
June 29, 2011 at 2:42 pm | | Report comment
Moreover, I’m afraid that those on the dole in this state (either literally or with their snouts in the public sector trough) are out-numbering those that are working, creating, and sholdering the burden
June 29, 2011 at 3:14 pm | | Report comment
We had an actor pretending to be govener doubled the number of state workers & bankrupt the state. Now that we have a real govener atleast they got the budget on time that saves us intrest & he stopped the selling off of the state. I think he’s doing a good job.
June 29, 2011 at 3:34 pm | | Report comment
Old Fart I didn’t see any budget passed? and the last budget to go before the govornor, included the sale of several state buildings, so tell me are you the product of the lazy and stupid? which is also evident in your reply.
all thats been done is a budget proposal which could end up being illegal since it will violate several state laws, and Moonbeam Brown has yet to sign it, and it could still be Vetoed just like the last proposal sent before him.
furthermore the current proposal is hoping on unexpected gains which are not showing, and the controller has already said it is not a balanced budget.
June 29, 2011 at 4:11 pm | | Report comment
Lets here it for moonbeam Brown and his demotic cohorts, the unions are going down which is right, if i’m unable to pay all my bills I have to make cuts so its right the state does too.
enough is enough, the unions control the state and they must be stopped.
June 29, 2011 at 4:01 pm | | Report comment