SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown is acting as California’s cheerleader-in-chief, countering the state’s anti-business reputation in an address to hundreds of business, agriculture and education leaders.
The Democratic governor spoke Wednesday to an annual gathering in the state capital hosted by the California Chamber of Commerce.
He credited the tax hikes voters approved last fall and an improving economy for helping to end a decade of state budget deficits.
Brown acknowledged that California is often criticized for having an unfriendly business climate but said the state also fosters a creative and entrepreneurial spirit that has helped produce a $2 trillion-a-year economy.
The governor pledged to limit government spending while focusing on longstanding issues such as education funding, prison overcrowding and protecting the water supply.
