Rein In Benefits Now and Tax Californians Later

Governor Jerry Brown’s proposed $50 billion tax-increase initiative won’t solve California’s budget problems. Neither will anything else on the state’s ballot in November, nor will more cuts to child care, courts, parks, college and welfare programs repeatedly slashed by the state Legislature.

Solving California’s budget woes requires addressing five root causes: unfunded health-care promises to retired employees, excessive incarceration rates, a boom-and-bust revenue system, underfunded pension commitments and fast-growing spending on Medicaid.