Local Tax Measures Could Compete with Brown's Initiative

KPBS | By Ben Adler, California Capitol Network

Published July 20, 2012 at 12:57 PM PDT

This story was published more than 12 years ago.

Local Tax Measures Could Compete with Brown’s Initiative

Governor Jerry Brown's initiative isn't just competing with other statewide tax measures this fall. It'll also face some local tax measures - particularly in Democratic strongholds across the state. That has at least one Democratic leader nervous.

Local tax measures in Democratic strongholds across California have some backers of Governor Jerry Brown's initiative nervous.

They're concerned too many taxes on the November ballot could split support and make them all more likely to fail. There are already three statewide tax initiatives.

Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg said the governor's measure is most important:

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"If the state deficit is not healed, that obviously affects local governments. If we put this behind us and begin being able to build once again in California, that'll benefit local governments."

Several areas with strong Democratic voter bases are either considering whether to place local tax measures on the November ballot or have already done so. They include Los Angeles and Alameda Counties and the cities of Sacramento and San Francisco.

The Los Angeles Unified School District recently decided not to ask voters to approve a parcel tax this fall because it feels the governor's tax measure is a higher priority.