Brown Stumps for Tax Extension Initiative in State of State Address

On Monday, Gov. Jerry Brown (D) delivered his State of the State address and urged lawmakers to let voters decide whether to approve tax extensions to prevent deeper cuts to state spending, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Buchanan/Lagos, San Francisco Chronicle, 2/1).

In his 14-minute address to a joint legislative session, Brown emphasized his plan to put the temporary tax extensions before voters. Lawmakers would need to act by late March to put the measure on a June ballot (Halper/York, Los Angeles Times, 2/1).

Budget Background

In January, Brown released a budget plan designed to help close the state's $25.4 billion deficit over 18 months (Siders, Sacramento Bee, 2/1). The governor's plan would cut:

• $1.7 billion from Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program;
• $486 million from In-Home Supportive Services; and
• $135.7 million from Healthy Families, California's Children's Health Insurance Program.

Brown's proposal also calls for the elimination of California's adult day health care program (California Healthline, 1/27).

To avoid further cuts to health and social services programs, the governor aims to secure voter approval for the temporary extensions of increases in automobile, income and sales taxes.

Response to Brown's Address

Putting the tax extensions on a June ballot would require a two-thirds majority vote from the state Legislature, meaning Brown would need some support from Republicans (Sacramento Bee, 2/1).

However, many Republican lawmakers have rejected the idea of putting the tax measure on the ballot, noting that voters rejected similar measures in 2009 and 2010 (San Francisco Chronicle, 2/1).

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers appear to be more receptive to Brown's tax extension plan.

Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) said it would be preferable to obtain a two-thirds majority vote to put the issue on the ballot. However, he said that he would not rule out other options, such as a simple majority vote, to put the measure before voters (Sacramento Bee, 2/1).

For additional coverage of reactions to Brown's State of the State speech, see today's Capitol Desk post.

Additional Coverage

Headlines and links to additional coverage of Brown's State of the State address are provided below.

• "Brown Urges Legislature To Take Budget Matters to the Voters" (Harmon, Contra Costa Times, 1/31).
• "Voters Need a Voice in Budget Solutions, Governor Tells GOP" (Herdt, Ventura County Star, 1/31).
• "Brown Demands Sacrifices, Urgency To Fix State's Fiscal Malaise"(Howard, Capitol Weekly, 1/31).
• "Brown's California Plan: Cuts, Taxes" (Vara, Wall Street Journal, 2/1).

Editorials

Headlines and links to editorials on the governor's budget plans are provided below.

• "Brown's Plan May Be Only Way Out of This Mess" (Bakersfield Californian, 1/31).
• "Balancing California's Budget" (Orange County Register, 1/31).
• "Brown's Same Old Taxing Approach" (Orange County Register, 1/31).
• "Brown Puts the Ball in Other Side's Court" (Sacramento Bee, 2/1).
• "Jerry Brown Now Tries To Sell Voters Hard Choices" (San Francisco Chronicle, 2/1).
• "No Compromise?" (Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 1/31).

Broadcast Coverage

Headlines and links to broadcast coverage of Brown's speech are provided below.

• "Brown's Countdown: State of the State: Let the Voters Decide" (Russ, "KXJZ News," Capital Public Radio, 2/1).
• "California in Crisis Says Brown in State of the State Address" (Small/Nowacki, "KPCC News," KPCC, 1/31).