Tax reform or budget cuts?

Editorial:

Gov. Jerry Brown has recently been shot down the opportunity of a proposed special election in June. Apparently the people will not vote on an extension for income, sales, and vehicle tax reforms made two years ago in order to reduce the amount of budget cuts California must take.

The bill needed to pass in the state legislature with a two-thirds vote, which requires some Republican votes for the bill. On the ballot, the people of California would have been able to vote to either pass extended tax reforms on things like vehicles or have more budget cuts in things like education. The Olympian opposes more budget cuts and would like to pass extended tax increases.

Brown did have trouble getting the two-thirds vote. Democrats, who have a majority in both houses, needed two Republican votes in each house of the legislature to put the tax extensions on the ballot.

The Olympian approves of  Brown’s effort in trying to put this proposition on a ballot for California voters. The people of California will now suffer the consequences of these new cuts .

“My plan to rebuild California requires a vote of the people,” Brown said in his State of the State speech. “And frankly, I believe it would be irresponsible to exclude the people from this process…whether it be voting to grind into more budget cuts or extend taxes.”

Because the tax reform didn’t pass, the $12 billion in budget cuts California already has made may increase to around $26 billion.

Now that more budget cuts are likely, schools will probably be hurt once again. The UCs, CSUs, community colleges and K-12 schools will all be affected. There may even be a two-week cut in the school year for K-12 schools and more furlough days amongst the UCs, CSUs, and community colleges. These universities and colleges will have to cut admissions for next year as well, with around 10,000 students qualified for the CSU system likely to be turned away. This will leave high school students all around California outraged.

Brown’s efforts to negotiate with the Grand Old Party, commonly known as the Republican Party, for putting the tax reform renewal on the ballot and trying to get California back on top were not successful. His vision of California’s special election on extended tax reforms will apparently not come true.

However, The Olympian fully supports all his motives and efforts in trying to reduce California’s never-ending budget deficits.