Brown Sidesteps Tax Initiative At Party Convention

Gov. Jerry Brown is offering an optimistic political agenda for California Democrats, pitching his accomplishments and goals to delegates at the party’s annual convention.

Brown discussed high-speed rail, education reform and the Dream Act for illegal immigrant college students in his address Saturday in San Diego. He said Democrats are poised to capture a two-thirds majority in the state Senate and said he hopes they also can retake Congress.

The governor sidestepped an internal party squabble about whether Democrats should support his tax proposal or those of two other Democratically-aligned groups pushing their own plans.

Brown told more than 2,000 Democrats they would “get your marching orders soon enough” on his proposal to raise sales and income taxes temporarily. He declined to answer reporters’ questions after his speech.