California Governor Jerry Brown is praising the legislature for permitting the sale of billions of dollars in voter-approved state bonds for high-speed rail.
Brown spoke at an event in Oakland Monday after Democratic lawmakers won passage last week by a single vote.
A recent Field Poll suggests some Californians would be less likely to support Brown’s sales and income tax initiative this fall if high-speed rail moves forward. Those voters appeared to be skeptical about spending so much money on high-speed rail during a budget crisis. But Governor Brown said it’s a “zero-sum game.”
“We either transfer some money from the very highest and wealthiest taxpayers to the schools and to local law enforcement or we don’t," said Brown, "and I think that case stands on its own regardless of what is done in other areas.”
Brown also said lawmakers must pass comprehensive pension reform before the November election – and the plan Democrats have proposed doesn’t save enough money.
