The Lede: Tax measure field narrowed from three to two
The big story last week was that Gov. Jerry Brown played it safe by merging his revenue measure with a competing one backed by the California Fedearation of Teachers to avoid the disaster of three measures canceling each other out and having no approved revenue increase whatsoever on November 6.
He basically halved his proposed sales tax increase and made up the difference by including a larger tax increase on the wealthiest Californians. In doing so, he appeases those on the left rallying behind the populist cry for heavier taxation on the rich but still changes little in his measure’s lack of appeal to the right.
Now it’s a race to get the necessary 800,000 signatures by mid-May to hae a shot at qualifying. The measure’s first speed bump came when the LAO said that this measure, like the previous incarnation, overshot its revenue estimates, this time to the tune of $2.2 billion.
Time will tell, but geting the CFT off of his back and on his side was undoubtedly a big win for Gov. Brown.
Bullet Points
- In another national scorecard on open government, California ranks 4th out of all states in its level of accountability, according to results of the State Integrity Investigation. Full breakdown of California’s grade of a B minus (no state got an A) right here.
- Higher education continues to be a battleground in California: several statewide student organizations banded together to draft an open letter condeming the tuition hikes that have occurred on Gov. Brown’s watch just as two new CSU presidents are slated to get the maximum salary hike allowed under the new laws.
- In a rare treat for Californians, it looks as if the Republican national primary here will actually be consequential for the race, offering a boost to local GOP outfits just as the party is trying to rediscover its identity in cities like San Francisco
