While much attention has been paid to potential tax measures on the 2016 ballot, working in the background is an effort to overhaul the state’s tax system. The recently released Public Policy Institute of California poll shows how difficult a task that could be.

Presenting a proposal for overall tax reform is the Think Long Committee for California, part of the Berggruen Institute on Governance. A central change considered by the Think Long Committee is a tax on services. California has become a much more service-oriented economy in recent decades. Sales taxes on goods, once the main portion of state revenue, have dropped dramatically in the last half-century.

Newly installed Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, a Think Long Committee member, will be driving the discussion on tax reform in the Legislature. He has introduced Senate Bill 8, which proposes to look at a number of changes to the tax system. His bill discusses broadening the tax base by providing a tax on services, evaluating the corporate income tax and examining the impact of lowering the personal income tax.

Brown legacy

The Think Long Committee is also talking to Gov. Jerry Brown, hoping he will tackle tax reform as he puts together his “legacy” agenda.

The idea to broaden the tax base by including services and lowering the sales tax rate was tested in 最佳的在线扑克 the PPIC poll. A tax on services was rejected by 63 percent of likely voters (25 percent favored). Although that number fell to 49 percent opposed (39 percent favored) if a drop in sales tax rates accompanied the service tax.

PPIC reported the share of voters who think the state and local tax system is in need of major change is at its lowest point since PPIC started asking the question in Jan. 2010. The fewer voters who see flaws with the current tax structure, the more difficult it will be to propose radical changes.

Let’s point out, however, that a plurality still thinks major changes are in order.

When asked if the state and local tax system was in need of either major changes, minor changes or is just fine, 44 percent chose major changes; 38 percent said minor changes were in order and 16 percent opted for leaving things be.

However, as the poll indicates, any changes along the lines of major tax reform will require a massive education effort to convince the public, which has the final say.

With the 2014 election finally over, attention is turned to possible tax measures on the 2016 ballot.

I previously wrote about groups looking to raise taxes on commercial property, oil extraction and cigarettes; and extending or making permanent 扑克 the income-tax piece of Proposition 30, which voters passed in 2012.

Marc Lifsher covered similar ground in the Los Angeles Times over the weekend. The Public Policy Institute of California released a poll last night that asked voters about some of the possible tax increases they could face on the ballot.

The key to which major tax measures will advance to the ballot very well could be Gov. Jerry Brown.

It may not seem unusual for proponents of tax increase proposals to want a popular, re-elected governor to support their agenda. However, the key to getting Brown on board is not so much for his endorsement but for his influence with certain powerful political players.

During the Prop. 30 campaign, Brown was effective in neutralizing opposition from the business community. While some business leaders grumbled about the tax, and the board of the state Chamber of Commerce had extensive debate over whether to oppose the measure, in the end the business community, particularly big business, generally withheld opposition to Prop. 30.

Supporters of proposed tax ballot measures would like to see the same script in 2016.

Temporary

In the most recent election season, the governor emphasized the Prop. 30 taxes were temporary. He also warned against taking on Proposition 13 and its property-tax protections, which voters passed in 1978 during his first stint as governor.

While Prop. 13 was not tested in the new PPIC poll, Prop. 30’s extension received support from 52 percent of likely voters, while 43 percent were opposed.

Pro-tax advocates will have to convince the governor they have a winning measure. Then they will push for the governor to use his influence with the business community to hold fire on whichever measure – or measures – move forward.

This is particularly true with the major tax issues, less so with so-called sin taxes on proscribed goods or services, such as the tax on cigarettes.

There is also the issue of a major overhaul of the tax system that has support from some reformers.

Any group considering pushing a tax increase in 2016 will have to consider how the governor plans to use his influence on the issue.