Molly Munger and I are not in the same corners when it comes to ballot measures proposed for the November ballot but we do have one thing in common: Governor Brown and his allies are trying to knock both of our initiatives out before they make the ballot.
Munger is for more taxes and more spending on schools. I’m for spending controls and no more taxes.
Munger, the Los Angeles civil rights attorney, is sponsoring an initiative to increase income taxes and dedicate most of the money to schools. The governor does not want to see that measure on the ballot because it would conflict with the voters’ attention for his tax increase proposal, which also raises income taxes as well as sales taxes.
My Small Business Action Committee has joined with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and the California Taxpayers Association to sponsor a revised state spending limit. Brown’s allies in the California Teachers Association, which has endorsed his tax measure, are complaining about the spending limit.
So the pressure is on to stop the initiatives from moving forward.
Brown and his friends are calling business organizations asking them not to fund the spending limit signature drive. The heat is also being turned up on the Munger effort.
Both efforts can apparently expect some vague threat of disfavor or punishment if either initiative moves forward. It is too early to know if the strong-armed tactics will work.
Too bad the governor and friends don’t believe in the principle of letting the voters decide.