Amid attacks, Gov. Brown urges supporters to sign Prop. 30 pledge
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Facing an onslaught of negative ads, Gov. Jerry Brown is turning to the Internet to drive voter turnout for his tax initiative, Proposition 30.
On Tuesday, the Democratic governor sent his supporters an email asking them to sign a pledge to vote for his tax measure, which would raise levies on upper-income earners and state sales to steady the state’s finances. Signers are then directed to ‘like’ the pledge on Facebook and forward the message to at least five friends.
In the missive, Brown focuses on public education, saying the initiative would stop years of cuts and ‘increase funding for every part of our educational system.’
‘California’s public education system is at a breaking point,’ he writes. ‘We can’t continue cutting our schools and still keep the economy strong for the next generation.’
Opponents, however, have seized on the fact that not all of the money will go to education and some of it can be used for other government programs. The No on 30 campaign unveiled an ad this week criticizing Proposition 30 as ‘just another misleading budget gimmick by Sacramento politicians.’
Brown’s direct appeal to supporters comes as he stumps up and down the state for Proposition 30. On Tuesday, he was set for a four-city swing, with rallies planned for Inglewood, San Diego, Bakersfield and Fresno. Last weekend, he took his message to Bay Area churches.
The governor’s proposal faces a tough road, with polls showing state voters split on the measure.
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--Michael J. Mishak in Sacramento