Politics & Government

VIDEO: Gov. Brown Confronts $16 Billion Deficit, Asks Voters to Avoid Cuts to Schools, Public Safety

Brown's plan includes a 3 percent tax increase on individuals in high income brackets.

In a video released Saturday morning discussing the $16 budget deficit that faces Californians, Gov. Jerry Brown calls on voters to avoid cuts to schools and public safety while proposing a plan to increase income tax by 3 percent on higher-earners.

The state deficit has increased $7 billion, from the $9 billion originally thought to be plaguing California. 

Brown calls the income tax increase "modest" and says it will result in a lower sales tax for all.

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"We can’t fill a hole of this magnitude with cuts alone without doing severe damage to our schools," said Brown, after admitting the state will need to make cuts much greater than originally planned in the beginning of the year.

Check out this video and let us know what you think of the budget crisis that California faces.

Find out what's happening in Menlo Park-Athertonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.



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