Gov. Jerry Brown told reporters Monday that he would not seek to renew sales and income tax increases that are due to expire at the end of 2016.
Sold as a measure to alleviate public schools after years of destructive budget cuts, California voters approved Proposition 30 in 2012 with a margin of over 10 percentage points. Since then, several Democrats, including state schools chief Tom Torlakson, have called to extend the measure, which raised income taxes on California’s highest earners.
But extending the tax would no doubt be a greater challenge in two years, given California’s strengthening economy and the governor’s recent comments.
“I said when I campaigned for Prop. 30 that it was a temporary tax, so that’s my belief, and I’m doing everything I can to live within our means,” said Brown while speaking to reporters in Pleasanton on Monday following a campaign stop.