Gov. Jerry Brown calls his tax hike 'common sense'

SacBee: Capitol Alert ^ | 9/6/12 | Kevin Yamamura

[SmithL]

Arguing for more revenues to bolster the state's finances, Gov. Jerry Brown called his November tax initiative "common sense" Thursday and blamed his predecessor for leaving California with an ongoing budget gap.

Brown contended that his Proposition 30 would initially raise roughly the same $7 billion that former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger eliminated by cutting the car tax and not raising taxes on out-of-state firms. The governor's Proposition 30 would increase taxes on high-income earners for seven years and sales for four years.

[SmithL]

This is what passes for common sense to a moonbeam.

[Vaquero]

Cue the sucking sound as businesses leave the Golden Shower State in droves

[freedumb2003]

That is why I left California. Any more common sense and I would be freaking broke!

My job is transportable, so I took my 6 figure salary to Texas, where they appreciate the value of hard work.

[MrB]

Keep raising those taxes, Sunshine.
Raise them until your state’s economy improves!

Just like Bernanke printing money until the economy improves...

yep... just like the medieval barbers, bleeding people until they got well.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Ah yes; the “temporary” tax on millionaires...

[faithhopecharity]

Jerry Brown is a politician who does try to do some good things. BUT he is 100 percent wrong about raising taxes higher. California is notorious already for having the highest taxes (and some of the most onerous regulations) in the USA. California also has one of the highest unemployment rates in America. Business cannot afford to hire new employees, or invest in new plants in California, except for a very few special situations. Almost all new investment (and therefore: most of the new jobs) go ELSEWHERE. And some of the existing businesses are leaving, too, if they can.
Raising taxes in California right now is the Dead Wrong policy direction for that state.
(Incidentally, California also pays more benefits and subsidies of various types than most states...to welfare recipients. Is it any surprise that California has three times its share of the national welfare case load?)
Jerry, if you want to fix, balance the California state budget, the place to start is to pare back some of the excessive welfare rolls and benefits (while still protecting the genuinely disabled). And you have hundreds of state offices that do very little good for anyone except the politically-connected hacks that get those jobs. Clean house first, the budget will magically balance... and business, investment, and JOBS will start going TO California instead of fleeing FROM California.
You will then be a hero.
And you can then send me my advisor’s fee.

[Chuzzlewit]

yeah... temporary... what a hoot.

[all the best]

"Arguing for more revenues to bolster the state's finances"

Correction: Arguing for more revenues to bolster the state government's revenue.

[rockinqsranch]

What’s common sense to a cat, a mouse, a dog, a rabbit, but especially to a Jackass?

[sanjuanbob]

Smart guy that Jerry Brown. He thinks he’ll collect an additional $7B in taxes but it’ll be closer to $5B with highly paid accountants and the businesses moving out of state. Mix in the shrinking labor force from the source and it’ll totally offset the $5B....IF he’s lucky. More than likely it’ll be a net loss of revenue and a poorer state than it already is.

[OafOfOffice]

What has Jerry Brown ever done that not self serving but for the good of California? Right now he wants a legacy and he does not care whether taxpayers want to pay the over 200 billion or not for his boondoggle train. I don't remember anything he has done that was good.

"California state budget, the place to start is to pare back some of the excessive welfare rolls and benefits"

First start with the over 20 billion taxpayers pay for illegals in the state.

Second "real reform" of public union pensions and benefits. CalPers is broke and they want taxpayers to foot the bill in billions. Jerry Brown is owned by unions. He created this mess in California last time he was governor.

Those two things above would wipe out our deficit and leave plenty to pay the cities back that he and Schwarzeneger looted.

[blueunicorn6]

Yesterday, he was calling it “Sally”. The man is insane.

[23 Everest]

And the beatings will continue until moral improves.

[Foolsgold]

Prop 30 and prop 32 (saving the teachers union) just might give Romney an edge in Kalifornia.

[blueunicorn6]

The man has pet toast named “Karl”. He drags it behind him on a string.
“Karl, roll over.”
“Fetch, Karl, fetch.”
“More taxes are good, right Karl.”

[fifedom]

prop 32 (saving the teachers union)

I don't know what you mean by this but Prop32 should be a definite YES vote by conservatives.

Here is what it is from their website yesprop32.com

Bans both corporate and union contributions to state and local candidates

Bans contributions by government contractors to the politicians who control contracts awarded to them

Bans automatic deductions by corporations, unions, and government of employees’ wages to be used for politics

The unions will spend $10's of millions to defeat this. That is enough reason for anyone to vote FOR it

[Foolsgold]

I agree hopefully our side will get out and VOTE