Brown says he may not wait for voters on taxes STATE BUDGET

SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 24: California Gov. Jerry Brown speaks to reporters following a bill signing on March 24, 2011 in Sacramento, California. California Gov. Jerry Brown signed 13 bills into law that will cut $11.2 billion from California's budget deficit. $12.6 billion still needs to be cut to balance the budget. less SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 24: California Gov. Jerry Brown speaks to reporters following a bill signing on March 24, 2011 in Sacramento, California. California Gov. Jerry Brown signed 13 bills into law that will ... more Photo: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images Photo: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Brown says he may not wait for voters on taxes 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

(04-09) 04:00 PDT Riverside - --

Gov. Jerry Brown signaled Friday that he may change strategy and push the Legislature to approve tax extensions and increases before voters have a chance to weigh in on the issue.

Under this new plan being considered by the Democratic governor, Californians would get to vote on whether to undo any tax hikes or extensions imposed by the Legislature and governor.

The governor promised during his campaign and after his election that he would not increase taxes to help solve the state's budget crisis without asking voters for their approval. Brown said Republicans, however, have blocked his attempts to bring the tax question to voters in a special election before the start of the new fiscal year, July 1.

Brown rejected the notion that such a plan would violate his promise, which was central in his campaign. "I'll keep my campaign promise," he said. "You watch, you'll see."

The governor has said a vote could be held as soon as September.

If voters decided to rescind any Legislature-approved taxes, then an all-cuts budget would be triggered, Brown said.

Brown is working with the Legislature to find a solution to California's remaining $15.4 billion deficit before the start of the fiscal year on July 1.

"Right now, you can't have an election in June. It's too late, OK?" Brown said to reporters after meeting with county law enforcement officials. "So either we crash over the cliff or we come up with something else."

The governor will release his updated plan for solving the state's remaining deficit in mid-May.

Brown made the comments in Riverside, on the first leg of what he says will be a statewide tour to hear for himself what an all-cuts solution to the state's deficit would mean for California. Earlier, he visited an elementary school that largely serves non-native English speakers in a poorer part of this city where he gave a frank accounting of the state's fiscal hole.

"I'm not here as part of some campaign," Brown told the approximately 60 invited education officials from the area who gathered in the school's cafeteria. "I'm really here to get some information and to give voice to you here in Riverside County, to learn for myself some of the practical implications of what we're facing."

He got a firsthand look at what previous budget cuts from the state's persistent deficits have meant in this city, as he visited a fourth-grade classroom holding 35 students. Last year, the classroom had 22 students, their teacher said, saying she has had to cut back on the time dedicated to studying California's history.

Brown said he was surprised that the class was already so large.

John Tavaglione, a member of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and president of the California State Association of Counties, said that without taxes, the county faces between $150 million and $170 million in additional cuts.

"We will not be able to function," he said.

Law enforcement officials from Riverside and neighboring San Bernardino County raised similar warnings about their ability to conduct current public safety functions if tax revenues diminish.

Michelle Scray, the chief probation officer for San Bernardino County who met with Brown, said a reduction in the vehicle license fee - which would happen July 1 without action by the Legislature - would cut her budget by $8 million and mean there would no longer be specialized probation officers specifically monitoring sex offenders. The county would also have to eliminate all its current juvenile probation services, she said.

Republicans at the Capitol have accused Democrats of fearmongering on an all-cuts scenario, but Republican law enforcement officers who met with Brown said the consequences of decreased revenue would be dire.

Brown wants to maintain a 0.5 percent increase in vehicle license fees and a one-cent increase in the state sales tax that are set to expire in July. A 0.25 percent increase in the personal income tax and a reduced state tax credit for dependents that expired in January would be reinstated, and the higher rates would be in effect for five years.

Brown's visit to Arlanza Elementary School was met with some protest, though, as about a dozen people stood across the street holding signs opposing any tax extension. Robert Ledbetter, a Republican from San Bernardino County, wore a Jerry Brown mask while other people led around a small pony and a dog. Ledbetter decried the event as a "dog and pony show."

But Brown rejected that notion.

"This is damn serious," the governor said. "The fate of schoolchildren and public safety is at risk."