Poll: Voters all over the place on tax measures

California’s likely voters solidly support a fall initiative to extend higher income taxes on top earners, while a separate proposal to boost state taxes on tobacco is clinging to a majority vote, according to a new survey released Monday.

The statewide Field/IGS Poll found Proposition 55, which would prolong for a dozen years 2012 income tax increases on some of the state’s highest-earning residents, was leading by 2-to-1 among likely voters, 60 percent to 30 percent.

Proposition 56, a bid to hike by $2 a pack state taxes on cigarettes, is drawing the backing of 53 percent of voters. Forty percent oppose the tax increase, and 7 percent remain undecided.

Get all the details at: California income tax hike has wide lead, fewer back $2-a-pack tobacco tax increase – The Sacramento Bee

Tobacco tax initiative is nothing more than a payoff to the Body Parts Mafia…

A tobacco-tax initiative proposed for the November 2016 ballot would raise as much as $1 billion to increase reimbursement rates for healthcare providers, about three-quarters of the estimated revenue that would be generated by the $2-per-pack tax hike.

But Friday’s title and summary from the Attorney General’s Office makes no mention of higher reimbursement rates, a priority of the California Medical Association and some other supporters of the effort, which has raised $2 million.

A Harris spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment. Friday’s title-and-summary clears the way for proponents to begin gathering signatures. They have until Jan. 5, 2016 to gather 365,880 valid voter signatures.

via Rate hike for healthcare providers gets no mention in tobacco tax petition language – The Sacramento Bee.

New tobacco tax heading to voters

Advocates say prevention is the “best medicine” when it comes to tobacco-related diseases. But tobacco companies are expected to spend heavily after beating back two ballot efforts in the last decade.

Read more here: Sacramento Bee