Proposition 25 backers win battle in court

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Proponents of a measure that would allow lawmakers to pass a budget on a simple-majority vote won a key court battle Monday.

A three-judge panel of the state’s 3rd District Court of Appeal ruled Monday that proponents of Proposition 25 should be allowed to tell voters the measure would keep the two-thirds vote requirement in place for taxes. Opponents of the initiative say Proposition 25 would actually allow taxes to be hiked by simple majority.

‘We find nothing in the substantive provisions that would allow the Legislature to circumvent the existing constitutional requirement of a two-thirds vote to raise taxes,’ the judges wrote.

A statement from a business-backed group opposing the measure criticized the ruling in a statement Monday. ‘This ruling is unfortunate and disappointing,’ the statement read. ‘Regardless of this ruling, Prop. 25 will eliminate the right of voters to repeal bad laws through the referendum process; allow the Legislature to increase taxes with a bare majority vote; and make it easier for politicians to increase their lavish travel and expense accounts.’

-- Anthony York in Sacramento