Voters in California will decide on Nov. 8 whether to raise the state income tax on millionaires to pay for electric cars, charging stations and wildfire prevention programs. So-called Proposition 30 in California has strong support but the double-digit margin was eroding, according to a poll released early this month.
Meanwhile in other ballot measures, five states — Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota — will vote on legalizing recreational marijuana.
The California referendum would raise the income tax rate by 1.75 percent on people making more than $2 million a year. It was estimated to raise $3-$4.5 billion a year. Gov. Gavin Newsom is among opponents of the measure, saying ride-sharing companies could use the program to bankroll their shift to electric vehicles. Foes say high tax rates could drive away wealthy Californians and warn that Prop 30 revenues could be volatile because it is tied to the earnings of a relatively small number of taxpayers.
Blasting the opponents of the measure, activist and actress Jane Fonda told CalMatters: “People who would choose to get rich and stay rich, as opposed to helping create a livable future, have to really seriously examine their priorities.”
One-fifth of the money raised by Prop 30 would pay to hire and train firefighters. The state spends from $2-$4 billion a year on wildfire control. The rest would be used in rebates for purchase of electric vehicles and to build charging stations.
A University of California poll said 49 percent of voters supported Prop 30, 37 percent opposed it and 15 percent were undecided, reported California Globe. It was the first time support for Prop 30 was below 50 percent.
Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana over the last decade and medical marijuana is legal in 37 states and Washington, D.C. If statewide referendums pass in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota, almost half of all states would have legalized recreational marijuana, said the Washington Post.
Paul Armentano of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws told the Washington Post that legalization has become “an issue that crosses traditional party lines.”
The state Legislative Analyst’s Office description of Prop 30 is available here.