Rumors are flying around the Capitol about Brown's potential backup plans if budget negotiations fall through. Democrats could try to get the tax measure before voters in June through a majority vote, a legally questionable maneuver. The governor could also try the initiative route by gathering signatures for a November election.
Velayas: "I think the challenge here is time."
Shannon Velayas is with the Secretary of State's office.
Velayas: "No matter what route the governor would take, the timeline is very short. And there's very little wiggle room."
Velayas says any June election date would require the governor and legislature to either waive existing election laws or write new ones. For a November 8th election, initiative backers would face an April 23rd deadline to turn in more than 800,000 voter signatures. That's just a month away.
