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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Brown: Raise taxes for future of California

Sacramento, Calif. – Gov. Jerry Brown outlined his plan Wednesday to raise taxes to pull the state out of its financial malaise, casting his proposals as an investment in the future of California like those of the visionaries and achievers whose big dreams made the state the envy of the nation during economic boom times.

The State of the State speech served as a launching pad for his campaign for the November ballot initiative to raise taxes. He has said that if voters don’t support his plan there would be drastic cuts to public education.

“Putting our fiscal house in order is good stewardship and helps us regain the trust of the people,” Brown said.

Brown’s proposal aims to raise income taxes on individuals who make $250,000 a year or more and boost the sales tax by half a cent.

Obama campaign runs first re-election TV ad

Washington – President Barack Obama launched the first television ad of his re-election campaign, defending his energy record against criticism from a Republican-leaning outside group in a sign that the presidential race is entering a new phase.

The ad, released Wednesday, responds to a $6 million ad campaign by a group backed by the billionaire Koch brothers accusing Obama of conducting pay-for-play politics in the bankruptcy of California energy company Solyndra, which imploded despite a $528 million federal loan.

Obama’s ad opens by citing “secretive billionaires attacking President Obama with ads fact-checkers say are not tethered to the facts.” It says that the president has added 2.7 million clean energy jobs while reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, calling Obama’s record on ethics “unprecedented.”

The voiceover ends by saying, “President Obama. Kept his promise to toughen ethics rules and strengthen America’s energy economy.”