Poll Shows Majority of California Voters Support Governor’s Tax Hike Initiative

With the state of California now more than $9.2 billion in debt, Governor Jerry Brown is working to drum up support for his tax hike initiative that he wants to get on the November ballot.

It appears he now has it.

A new poll from the Los Angeles Times and USC indicates sixty-four percent of Californians back the Governor’s plan.

Rancho Mirage small business owner Karen Odell is not among the majority.

“I don’t want a tax increase, I just don’t think we need it,” said Odell.

The Governor’s initiative would increase the state sales tax by a quarter cent per dollar for a four period.

The plan would also create a graduated surcharge on incomes of greater than $250,000 for a period of seven years.

Brown says the plan is aimed at raising money for schools and balancing the state budget.

“I think it is a necessary increase, if that is what it is going towards,” said Palm Desert resident Staci Hall.

To get his tax plan on the ballot, the Governor and his supporters need to collect about 810,000 signatures to qualify.

Brown and his team hope to have those signatures by May.

One voter we spoke with says the Governor would go a long way in solving the state budget crisis by focusing on soaring pension costs for public employees.

“We’ve got pension benefits we can’t live with, they are bankrupting the country. They can tax the wealthy all they want, the wealthy don’t have enough money to solve the problem. They’ve got to reset the union benefits,” said La Quinta resident Henry Anderson.

Another result from the L.A. Times/USC poll could be seen as a possible red flag for the Governor and his tax proposal.

Forty-five percent of Californians surveyed say state taxes are already too high, and that the budget should be balanced with cuts in state services.