California Leans Toward Tax on Super Rich, but Not a Majority

California voters may be warming to a new tax on their richest neighbors, but they haven't fully bought in yet. A new NBCUniversal Local/Telemundo poll finds 48% of likely voters back Proposition 40, a one-time 5% levy on Californians worth more than $1.1 billion, with 38% opposed and 14% undecided. Most of the money would go to healthcare, with smaller slices for education and food aid. Support among Hispanic voters is similar, at 50% in favor and 40% against. The measure has split Democrats: Rep. Ro Khanna and billionaire Tom Steyer are for it, while Gov. Gavin Newsom and his would-be successor Xavier Becerra warn it could push the wealthy out of the state. Yet 59% of voters say they're not especially worried about rich residents leaving.

That doesn't mean those rich residents aren't trying to stay: Google co-founder Sergey Brin has so far tossed $100 million at groups fighting Prop 40. And while that may seem like a big spend, CNN notes that Brin would face a comparatively daunting $14 billion tax bill should the measure pass. Brin's support isn't unique, notes the Los Angeles Times: Opponents of Prop 40 have shelled out $187 million, compared to just $32 million from the tax-the-rich crowd. The Times puts the divide between supporters and opponents of Prop 40 a bit closer than the NBC poll, at 45% in favor to 42% against.