Oakland (April 21) –   Attorney General Jerry Brown announced today that he has accepted a newspaper’s challenge and agreed to release his tax returns for the past 10 years.
 
“Shortly after being elected governor in 1974, I did something no governor had done before – I released my tax returns”, Brown wrote in a letter to the editor of the San Jose Mercury-News.  “I have always believed this is important, and today – after revelations of Wall Street manipulation and crimes and an economic meltdown caused by greed and deception – it’s even more important.”
 
The Mercury-News had asked Brown and the two leading Republican candidates for governor, Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner, to make 10 years of federal and state tax returns public.
 
“If candidates pledge in writing, their word will be on the line, and we believe they'll live up to it,” the newspaper wrote.  “If anyone refuses, then the others will be off the hook — but neither we nor voters will forget who refused.” 
 
Brown said Californians are suffering from record unemployment and one of the worst economic meltdowns in history. The Attorney General said it would be an “absolute shame” and show “enormous disrespect for voters” if Whitman and Poizner refuse to release their tax returns.
 
“Voters want to compare where the candidates’ money comes from – and how closely they are tied to financiers and big banks that caused so much of our current trouble,” he told the Mercury-News.   “Release of tax returns could provide information.”
 
“If they have nothing to hide, I assume they will go ahead and agree to the Mercury-News’ very legitimate request,” he added.   “Their refusal would indicate that there’s something they want to hide from the public.”