Dont rely on poison pills to stop the billionaire tax speak out now

The latest poll shows that California voters want to pass the “billionaire tax.” And also that they want to block it.Wait — what?A poll released this week by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) shows that 52% of likely voters favor Proposition 40, which would take 5% of the wealth of billionaires in the state.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story The same poll shows that 51% of likely voters also favor Proposition 41, and that 54% of likely voters favor Proposition 42.These are the two “poison pills” funded by Google co-founder Sergey Brin’s group, Building a Better California.They are designed to destroy Proposition 40.The text of each says that if Proposition 41 or 42 wins more votes than Proposition 40, “the provisions of this measure shall prevail in their entirety, and all the provisions of the other measure [Proposition 40] shall be null and void.”But Proposition 40 could still pass.

In a close election, anything can happen.That is why it must be fought.This is not just a tax fight.

It is about whether we will allow socialism to take root in California.We cannot afford to chase the most successful people out of the state — and many are already leaving.The most successful Californians are the job creators, who keep the economy moving for the rest of us.Proposition 40 would kill investment in Silicon Valley. It would raise tax revenues in the short term, but lower them in the long run, and choke economic growth.That’s why even some unions oppose it — and why SEIU-UHW boss Dave Regan allegedly tried to bully other union leaders into supporting it.And don’t imagine that they will stop with the billionaires.

Proposition 40 allows the state legislature to target the middle class, eventually, as well.You cannot have a thriving...