The fate of Proposition 30, the governor’s proposed tax measure, remains undecided as voting results from California county precincts trickle in.
[UPDATED AT 12:18 a.m.: During a speech in Sacramento late Tuesday night, Gov. Jerry Brown expressed his confidence that California voters had passed Proposition 30, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“We’re ahead. All the indications are that 30’s going to win,” Brown said to reporters, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Still, 41.2 percent of California precincts have yet to report their voting results and the result has not been officially announced, according to the California Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s website. Support for Proposition 30 hovers around 52 percent of reported votes.]
[UPDATE: As of 11:29 p.m., 51.6 percent of reported votes were in favor of the proposition, according to California Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s website. About 44 percent of precincts had reported voting results.
In Los Angeles County, 56.4 percent of reported votes were in favor of the proposition, according to the California secretary of state’s website. About 20 percent of precincts in Los Angeles County had reported voting results.]
As of 10:35 p.m., 51 percent of votes were against the proposition, according to California Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s website. About 25 percent of precincts had reported voting results.
If Proposition 30 does not pass, the UC will face $250 million in automatic spending reductions, likely resulting in double-digit tuition hikes this academic year. Other drastic measures will also likely be taken to make up for the severe budget gap, including more program cutbacks and staff layoffs, said Dianne Klein, a UC spokeswoman.
If passed, Proposition 30 would temporarily increase taxes for high-income households and raise the sales tax to fund K-12 education and community colleges. The sales tax increase would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2013, and the personal income tax would increase for the 2012 tax year.
The revenue would free up state funds for other public institutions, such as the University of California.
Additionally, Brown has said the UC will receive $125 million in state funds in 2013-2014 if voters pass the measure and the University freezes tuition this year.
Compiled by Jillian Beck and Erin Donnelly, Bruin senior staff.