Poll Shows 64 Percent Support Brown Tax Plan

Support for Gov. Jerry Brown’s new tax initiative proposal, which involves increasing sales tax and raising the rates on incomes of more than $250,000, is there for now, reported The Los Angeles Times.

Of voters surveyed, 64 percent said they supported the proposed measure expected for the November ballot, according to a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll.

Republican lawmakers didn’t support the governor’s initial proposal and don’t appear to be lining up to champion this one either. 

Sen. Bob Huff, (R-Diamond Bar), whose district includes Glendora, said recently that the governor’s new plan to merge his initiative with one championed by Democratic lawmakers and the Restoring California Coalition as giving in to unions.

“Just days after insisting that his was the only responsible tax plan for an integrated budget solution, it looks like the Governor has capitulated by accepting the public employee union tax hike scheme,” Huff said.

“This back-room tax increase deal does not bode well for the prospects of real public employee pension reform since it is now clear that the public employee unions are controlling the entire agenda.”

The new plan would raise the sales tax by a quarter-cent per dollar, down from a half-cent in the governor’s original proposal, for four years and set up a tier of levy increases for those making more than $250,000 annually.  The tax on the upper incomes would be in place for seven years.  The changes put more emphasis on taxing upper income earners, which is more popular according to the poll, and less on sales tax, which all consumers pay.

What do you think of the governor’s tax initiative? Would you support the measure?