New State Budget Relies on Voter-Approved Taxes; Will You Vote for Them?

Not long before his midnight deadline on Wednesday, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a $92 billion state budget that relies on voters approving a tax hike initiative he placed on the November ballot. The budget takes effect Sunday.

According to a statement issued by Brown's office, the budget cuts $8 billion from government spending to help close a $15.7 billion deficit and build a reserve of almost $1 billion.

The Legislature approved the majority of the spending plan on June 15 but didn't deliver the final 21 budget bills to Brown until Wednesday. The full budget is available on the California Department of Finance website.

Brown's November initiative would raise the state sales tax and increase income tax for high-income earners—a total of an estimated $8 billion in tax hikes. Written into the budget are automatic cuts in education and public safety if the initiative fails.

Also written into the budget is a bill that could give Brown's tax initiative top billing on the November ballot, according to a San Francisco Chronicle article. The bill requires bond measures and constitutional amendments to appear on the ballot ahead of initiatives and other referendums, and Brown's initiative contains constitutional changes.

If this happens, it would appear above another tax initiative backed by civil rights attorney Molly Munger and the California State PTA.

But this is all state news. What we're interested in is what locals think of the new budget and the tax initiatives. Will you vote for one, both or none of the above? Vote in our poll and share your views in the comments section below.