Gov. Jerry Brown: Is he saving California or ruining it? The 9 big issues

Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

By Sara Lessley, guest blogger In the final year of his third term as governor, Jerry Brown is riding high after a series of high-profile successes. Defying expectations, "Brown has faced down a massive state deficit, persuaded voters to approve new taxes and overhauled school finances and the state's vast prison system," declares the Christian Science Monitor. "Brown is right to stay the course," applauds The Times' editorial board, by sticking with the "cautious practices that led the state safely to this point." "Now he is the most trusted, stable, and reliable leader around," adds political scientist Bruce Cain in the Atlantic, about the man who was also California's top pol from 1975 to 1983. But Brown is not without his critics, and potential landmines. Some excoriate his "think big and be bold" plans -- a bullet train (now ringing up at an estimated $68 billion) and water tunnels under the Sacramento delta ($25 billion and counting). Others say the "kooky Left Coast Gov. Moonbeam" got lucky, taking office this time around in an upward economy and with the Democrats in charge in Sacramento. "Rich people can't cross the state line fast enough," they complain. Well, says the 75-year-old Democrat: "I've been down, and I've been up. And I'd much prefer to be up." Here's a look at some of Brown's astute accomplishments -- plus his, well, perhaps pie-in-the-sky dreams. Sara Lessley is a freelance journalist and editing coach in Los Angeles.

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Los Angeles Times

Taking a gamble, Gov. Jerry Brown went "directly to the people with a tax measure [in 2012] after losing a battle with Republican lawmakers" the year before to put an increase before voters, CNN Money wrote. The governor personally championed the ballot initiative, Proposition 30: "I know a lot of people had some doubts and some questions: 'Can you really go to the people and ask them to vote for a tax?' " Well, yes. The measure, which raised income taxes on the wealthiest citizens in the state and temporarily increased the state sales tax to fund education, captured 55% of the vote. "Here we are," said Brown. "We have a vote of the people, I think the only state in the country that says 'let's raise our taxes, for our kids, for our schools, and for our California dream.' "

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