Mar 6, 2008 5:24 pm US/Pacific
California Dems Want Tax Hike, Not School Cuts
SAN ANSELMO (CBS 5 / KCBS) ―
State Democratic lawmakers Thursday urged Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to raise taxes rather than cut billions from education spending next year.
Senate leader Don Perata, D-Oakland, suggested a temporary sales tax boost and the elimination of some tax breaks for businesses.
Perata and other Democratic lawmakers who held a news conference at a San Anselmo school yard said they will not approve classroom cuts even if it stalls efforts to trim the state's multi-billion dollar budget deficit.
The governor has proposed cutting an estimated $4.3 billion from the education budget that begins in July. Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said the Republican governor does not like cutting school funding, but thinks taxes already are high enough.
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