Gov. Brown “going directly to voters” for tax raise on “high-income earners”

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 12/5/11 | Andrew S. Ross

[SmithL]

From “An Open Letter to the People of California”:

I am filing today an initiative with the Attorney General’s office that would generate nearly $7 billion in dedicated funding to protect education and public safety.

I am going directly to the voters because I don’t want to get bogged down in partisan gridlock as happened this year. The stakes are too high.

[Amerigomag]

“A democracy ... can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates (Jerry Brown) promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy ..." ― Alexis de Tocqueville

[NathanR]

Brown tried this before with Prop 1A in 2009 and was shot down decisively. There is a good chance it will fail again.

[M-cubed]

“OCCUPY HOLLYWOOD”

They're all for the 99%ers....

Talk about easy money to further the cause!

The 1st stoned trust baby that figures that out will be the TRUE LEADER of the occupy movement!!!!

The perfect way to “produce” Conservatives!!!!

If I were younger id lead that movement!...........pocket a few 100k and leave early and gracefully when the new leader won the next voice vote,,,,,,,

[M-cubed]

GAWD!.......I'm thinking like a Capitalist!!!

[Myrddin]

I'm an Idaho resident, but doing work on a project in San Diego that requires my physical presence. Idaho state income tax is 8%. This year I got a 2% raise after my annual review. The week after that, my company instituted a new policy. If I work 20 days or more inside any state, I have the income earned in that state taxed at the state's rate. In my case, the CA income tax rate is 10%. The upshot is that I got a 2% raise one week and my taxes were increased 2% the following week.

If Brown raises it higher, I'll seriously have to consider whether the lower income I might earn in Idaho is ahead of the higher income in CA less the higher tax. All my "stuff" is at my home in Idaho...less a bed, some clothing and books. I could be on my way home to Idaho and stop earning money taxable by CA overnight.

[political1]

OK there are more people that don't make above a Million dollars a year then people who make above a Million dollars a year. The logic is ‘I will vote for someone else to pay the taxes, just so long as it isn't me.’ so you take the majority of the people, and vote against the minority of the people the majority will win the election every time. Using this same logic. Why not have everybody vote for the Mexicans to pay more taxes. Since they are a minority. Wait hold on here “that is unfair” one might say. Why? You are choosing a group and saying they have to pay more taxes because of (blank). Fill in that blank with race, income, ethnicity, sexual preference, religion, what ever you want. As long as the majority votes for it then the minority has got to go along with it, right? This one group saying ‘another group has to pay more taxes,’ is going to cause a lot of damage in the long run. All taxes should be even for everybody across the board.

[SaraJohnson]

All you rich people in California, come to Texas and spend your money here!

[bilhosty]

In otherwords he is spending more money buying off teachers unions. why Not make these tax raises permanant, we can use more jobs in Georgia. And then again the upper 1% in California seems to like taxes why not make them live up to thier own values.

[eyedigress]

Just keep on keeping on California. Tennessee will welcome a few more of your major companies as HQ.

[tflabo]

Illinois is trying to be like Calif with all the higher taxes carp. Only thing is Ill-n_annoyed has no warm beaches, no mountains and the weather is awful.

[eyedigress]

The N.A component of my company is HQ in Illinois. I don’t get it.

[eyeamok]

Since Moonbeam wants to put this directly on the Ballot, shouldn’t there be competing initiatives?? one to Repeal the Income Tax completely and on to Lower the Sales tax to 5%. I mean wouldn’t that be the FAIR thing to do, Be Pro Choice and all??

[Dutch Boy]

Why is it that the democrats only believe in the one variable economic formula? If taxes are raised x% the revenue will increase x%. They are poor students of history. Americans have a long history of finding ways to overcome tax burdens. The rich moving from CA or NY to a less oppressive state is a reasonable reaction to anyone paying attention. The libs obviously haven’t been paying attention.

[paul51]

moonbeam, take your taxes and jam em. I’m off to WY.

[KosmicKitty]

What happens to Kalifornia and Gov. Moonbeam when there are no more high earners??

[poobear]

Wow, those new RV’s and Prius’ payments on the Pension Retirements are going to be so screwed when the checks stop.

[dragnet2]

What happens? The state government who have been giving tens of thousands of their employees lottery style wages, benefits and pensions, collapses or gets dramatically reduced..The can shove their government education and public safety up their rear ends.

They don't like it? They can move.

[arrogantsob]

Even the “home schooled” will pay the taxes voted in.

[arrogantsob]

I hope for Californians sakes you are right.

[markman46]

hey gov clown i got a big Hell no for you