Donations pour in for Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative

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Fundraising to support Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative has topped $1.4 million, according to the latest reports from the secretary of State’s office.

Brown has $250,000 from the State Building Trades Assn. -- a large booster of the high-speed rail plan the governor has staunchly defended in recent days -- and another $250,000 donation from Occidental Petroleum.

Other large donors include the California Hospitals Assn., which has donated $500,000 to the effort. Blue Shield of California has chipped in $100,000.

A number of Indian tribes have also opened their wallets for the governor. The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians has given $100,000, as has the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians, which runs a casino in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The governor was on the road last week touting his tax measure, which would raise levies on upper incomes and sales for five years. He has reached out to business and labor groups to back his proposal. Brown said in Irvine last week that other large donations would be reported soon, including one from Kaiser Permanente.

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-- Anthony York in Sacramento