Calif. ballot could be crowded with tax-hike plans

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It appears increasingly likely that Gov. Jerry Brown will have competition in November when he asks California voters to raise taxes as a way to stabilize the state's perpetually out-of-balance budget.

On Monday, proponents of two other proposed tax initiatives pledged that they will have enough money to get their initiatives on the ballot and declined to back down despite entreaties from the Democratic governor.

Each of the three tax campaigns has influential backers that have been politically aligned in the past, a dynamic that could complicate the campaigns by splitting the donor base, dividing grass-roots support and confusing voters. Each also would dedicate at least some of the extra revenue to public education.

Molly Munger, a wealthy attorney and civil rights advocate from Los Angeles, outlined her proposal in Sacramento to a supportive crowd at a statewide meeting of the California Parent Teacher Association. The PTA helped draft the initiative, which would increase income taxes on a sliding scale and raise $10 billion annually for 12 years.

"We are going to get this on the ballot and we are going to win, because we're prepared to not only get it on the ballot, but be sure that it has a very strong campaign behind it," Munger told reporters after her speech.

The political novice, who is the daughter of billionaire Berkshire Hathaway partner Charles Munger, a partner of Warren Buffett, said she is prepared to fund a multimillion-dollar signature-gathering campaign on her own. She already has contributed $800,000 to the initiative.

Munger's brother, Charles Munger Jr., is a frequent donor to California Republican causes and has already given his name and money to a measure on the November ballot that would bar unions from collecting dues from members' paychecks, dramatically limiting their ability to fund political campaigns.

Molly Munger acknowledged their divergent political views.

"He isn't the first deep pocket that I would go for, let me just put it that way," she said.

Also Monday, supporters of a so-called millionaires' tax said they were ready to hit the streets with a signature-gathering effort for their own proposal, which would raise income taxes on those who make more than $1 million a year.