Bill Clinton endorses Jerry Brown’s tax-hike plan

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Two decades ago, Bill Clinton beat out Jerry Brown in a bruising battle for the Democratic presidential nomination.

On Tuesday, Clinton gave his former rival a helping hand, firing off a quick endorsement of the governor’s tax-hike ballot measure, Proposition 30.

The former president made the comments during a rally for Democratic congressional candidates in Davis. Clinton also urged voters to oppose Proposition 32, which would curb unions’ political influence.

The remarks come at a time of increased tension surrounding Brown’s tax initiative. Millionaire lawyer Molly Munger, who is pushing a rival tax measure, released a video Tuesday targeting Proposition 30, raising the possibility of open warfare between the two campaigns.

Anthony York has the story in Wednesday’s Los Angeles Times.

‘This is the political equivalent of attempted murder-suicide,’ said Jason Kinney, who is working with a committee of Democrats fighting Munger’s tax measure. ‘If she can’t win, she wants everyone else to lose, including schools.’

Proposition 30 would raise the sales tax by a quarter-cent for four years and increase levies on the wealthy for seven years. The governor says that if it doesn’t pass, he’ll cut nearly $6 billion from the state budget, mostly from public schools.

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-- Chris Megerian in Sacramento
twitter.com/chrismegerian