Strong majority backs Jerry Brown's tax-hike initiative (California)

[CreekDog]

Source: Los Angeles Times

Sixty-four percent of those surveyed said they supported the governor's measure, which he hopes to place on the November ballot. It would hike the state sales tax by a quarter-cent per dollar for the next four years and create a graduated surcharge on incomes of more than $250,000 that would last seven years. A third of respondents opposed the measure.

***
Brown's new plan, rewritten recently amid pressure from liberal activist and union groups that had a competing proposal, relies on a larger share of revenue from upper-income earners than his original measure. Correspondingly, it leans less upon sales taxes, which are paid by all California consumers. The poll shows that taxing high earners is overwhelmingly popular.

***

Views of the governor's initiative are split along party lines. Eighty percent of Democrats approved of it, while just 38% of Republicans expressed support. The measure also has the firm backing of independents — voters who state no party preference, who are more than 20% of the California electorate and whose support Brown will likely need to pass his measure. Three-quarters of independents said they liked Brown's idea.

***

Brown reached a deal with a coalition led by the California Federation of Teachers to tweak his tax measure. In exchange, the group dropped its rival proposal — also aimed at the November ballot — which would have increased levies exclusively on incomes of more than $1 million.



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-state-poll-20120326,0,7626225.story

[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[mother earth]

2. One of the wealthiest states of our country should lead the way to show how it can get done,

watch & learn. Go Jerry Brown! K & R

[goclark]

3. Go Jerry!

[kemah]

4. I went to college before Reagan, it was $80 a semester, $50 of which was for health clinic.

Reagan was a disaster for higher education, he slashed funding and colleges had to raise rates. Before Reagan, the philosophy was that if you provided affordable education, the state would make up the difference by having an educated workforce pay more in their state income tax for the rest of their working lives. This is their gop God like hero, a corporate shill, who responds to their whim. Every gop candidate wants to be like Reagan, a shill.

[Turbineguy]

9. The irony of the pre-reagan education policy

was that it was supply side economics.

[kewhawaii]

11. Yowzah! That is cheap.

I thought I had it good in the mid-70s when the UC system charged only $645 per year and was the envy of the world. Tuition has been climbing ever since.

We both had it good, yes?

[cottage10]

5. I'll bet other (progressive) states will follow suit soon

And the difference between the 'blue' states and the 'red' states will be--better schools, healthcare, and a better place to do business in the blue states. They'll be able to get their budgets on track by taxing the people who benefit from this country the most--the wealthy. Go Jerry!

[zipplewrath]

6. One of those Red States

I live in one of those red states that's suppose to be so "business friendly". They hand out tax breaks and build roads and buildings for businesses in hopes of attracting more business. But it never materializes and they are constantly "losing" out to other states. They get told again and again that tax breaks are nice, but more important is infrastructure including public transportation, good schools including a solid university system, and yes parks and performing arts centers.

So every year the GOP controlled legislature passes more tax cuts and reduces spending on roads and schools.

I'm thinking of padding the brick wall so it doesn't hurt so much to beat my head against it.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. Be interesting to see how this does as it gets closer to the election

Jerry Brown is a master of CA politics. If anyone can get this through, he can. However, it has not been approved for the ballot and the opposition has not formed.

[JDPriestly]

8. This will become law. Californians are sick of the rich people who come here to enjoy

the sunshine and then don't pay their fair share. I heard some rumor about a proposal that would require all corporations in California to pay certain taxes here. I hope that something like that will also go through.

If you sell your shoe polish or your toys or whatever in California, you should pay the taxes that support our highway patrol, our roadwork, our city streets, our schools, our healthcare for the indigent and everything else that makes it possible for you to sell your products here. Same for every state in the union.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

14. I am not all that confiedent

Brown is going to have to sell hard, and depending what else is on the ballot, it may not be enough.

Taxes on mail order goods is slowly being resolved. The nexus issue is still key.

[IndyJones]

10. If the surcharges start at incomes of $250,000, it will not pass.

[CreekDog]

13. you speak with too much confidence about what you cannot know

but humor us, tell us how you know this.

[IndyJones]

16. I live here and have had lots of discussion. Too many families make

near, at, or just above that. Many are small business owners. I just think that's too low. Don't need to try to humor you, that's my opinion. We'll see what the voters think.

[CreekDog]

18. yes, your conversations trump systematic polling of the voting population

nevermind the pollsters.

[IndyJones]

19. I agree with you there. You can come back and agree with me again after we all vote on it.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

15. What is driving that in your opinion?

[IndyJones]

17. I think that will impact a lot of small business owners. And there are a lot

of two income families living in expensive places, like OC, SF, lots of other places. I think a lot of people are going to feel that is too low.

[freshwest]

12. But will they get out and vote?