Photo: Catherine Cloutier

In the face of severe state budget cuts, the California Teachers' Association has been cozying up to Gov. Jerry Brown to lobby for higher taxes and to help minimize the damage to public education.

The CTA gave Brown $49,300 in campaign contributions for his 2010 gubernatorial run.

Now both want to extend higher sales and income taxes and fee increases for five years to soften projected blows to the education budget. They hope to put their tax extension initiative before voters in a June special election.

But getting the extensions to pass will be an uphill battle, and if they fail, funding for the 2011-12 school year faces a $4.5 billion cut.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson in early January declared California schools to be in a "State of Financial Emergency."

Read the rest here on the USC Annenberg News21/SoCal Connected Under The Influence page.