Gov. Jerry Brown and civil rights attorney Molly Munger appear to be heading toward a direct clash over rival tax increase measures that could doom both.

Brown’s $6 billion per year sales and income tax increase, Proposition 30, barely tops 50 percent in recent polls of likely voters. Munger’s $10 billion income tax boost for schools, Proposition 38, falls short of a majority.

Brown attempted to persuade Munger to drop her measure, worried that having both on the ballot would alienate voters, but she refused. His campaign then publicly urged Munger to avoid attacks on Proposition 30, clearly fearing that they would threaten its passage.

via Dan Walters: Jerry Brown, Molly Munger gearing up for battle.

By Richard Bammer/ RBammer@TheReporter.com

Of the two state tax measures on the November ballot, Vacaville Unified teachers support Prop. 30 because the so-called “governor’s initiative,” if passed, prevents automatic trigger cuts.

Speaking to the district’s board of trustees Thursday, Moira McSweeney, president of the Vacaville Teachers Association, acknowledged both initiatives — the other is Prop. 38 — may pass but asserted Prop. 30, the Schools and Local Public Safety Protection Act of 2012, would stop nearly $500 per-student budget cuts in the district. On the other hand, Prop. 38, Our Children, Our Future: Local Schools and Early Education Investment and Bond Debt Reduction Act, would not, she said.

If both pass, whichever gains more votes will take effect, but “only Proposition 30 keeps income tax increases away from the middle class,” McSweeney said during the trustees meeting in the Educational Services Center.

via Vacaville Teachers Association supports Proposition 30.

Gov. Jerry Brown spent much of last week trying to scare California voters into voting for higher taxes.

Brown, speaking to community college students in San Diego, promised “real suffering by you and really our whole future” if voters reject his sales and income tax measure, Proposition 30.

It’s a somewhat disingenuous argument, albeit a clever one, rooted in the poll-tested assumption that education is the single most popular state program.

via Dan Walters: Can Jerry Brown scare up a victory?.

By David Siders

Gov. Jerry Brown, starting to campaign in earnest for his Nov. 6 ballot initiative to raise taxes, labored Wednesday to put the state parks scandal and other potentially damaging developments at the Capitol behind him, hoping to refocus public attention on schools.

“This is not about any other issue,” said Brown, flanked by students outside New Technology High School in Sacramento. “It’s not about the environment, it’s not about pensions, it’s not about parks. It’s about one simple question: Shall those who’ve been blessed beyond imagination give back 1 or 2 or 3 percent for the next seven years, or shall we take billions out of our schools and colleges to the detriment of the kids standing behind us and the future of our state?”

via Brown moves tax campaign to the classroom, downplays parks scandal.