Citizens in Charge

California Governor Jerry Brown will propose a ballot measure to increase taxes on the wealthiest Californians and increase the state sales tax:

Echoing the Occupy Wall Street movement’s call to tax the rich, Gov. Jerry Brown wants California’s highest earners to pay more to stave off further budget cuts to education and social services.

Brown is expected to propose a ballot initiative asking voters to increase taxes on the rich and raise the statewide sales tax by half a cent, to 7.75 percent. The combination of income and sales tax increases would raise about $7 billion and expire in 2016.

Democrats and labor allies who support Brown say they believe voters would support taxing themselves - and the rich - if it meant saving teachers and police jobs.

“You’re seeing it play out on college campuses. You’re seeing it play out in different communities throughout California. There’s a real sense that the pendulum in terms of the way we’ve had to deal with these budget deficits, has gone too far,” said the state Senate’s Democratic leader, Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento.

However, organizers of the recent Occupy protests on university campuses and cities have criticized Brown’s plan, which they say sides with bankers and millionaires because its half-cent sales tax increase would apply to all Californians. They say that would hurt students and working Californians.

“We’ve paid enough. It’s time for millionaires to pay,” said Charlie Eaton, a graduate student in sociology at the University of California, Berkeley and leader of the UC Student-Workers Union.

It’s reassuring to see that the people of California will likely get to voice their opinions on this matter at the ballot box instead of helplessly watching their elected officials work behind closed doors.

From the looks of it, California’s ballot could end up pretty crowded with tax measures next year:

Whether Brown’s plan will resonate in California remains to be seen. Republicans note that California voters turned down the last seven tax increase proposals that were on the ballot, and Brown could face competing tax initiatives from groups that want to raise taxes even higher.

At least five tax initiative proposals are gathering signatures in hopes of appearing on the ballot in 2012. The plans run the gamut from increasing income taxes on most Californians to targeting only the rich.

What do you think California voters’ response will be at the polls?