California Vote Won’t Be a Quick Tax Fix

On Nov. 6, Californians will vote on two ballot measures to raise sales and income taxes in their strapped state. They should instead be working to amend Proposition 13, the notorious 1978 measure that put stringent limits on property tax.

Proposition 30, the new measure backed by Governor Jerry Brown, would raise the sales tax and income taxes on couples earning more than $500,000 to help close the state’s $8 billion annual structural deficit. Proposition 38 would raise income taxes more broadly, with the increase principally on high earners; the proceeds would be dedicated to schools.