Governor Jerry Brown speaks to students about voting and Proposition 30. Photo by Sal Ingram.

This morning, around 9:30 a.m. in Quarry Plaza, the governor of California made a speech at UC Santa Cruz.

Gov. Jerry Brown rallied students to vote in the upcoming election, and to vote “Yes” on Proposition 30 — a proposition that would raise taxes on Californians to fund K-12 and community college education costs, and forestall further cuts. The governor is on a tour of several state campuses to rally support for his measure.

On his website, the governor states, “Proposition 30 will protect school and safety funding and help address the state’s chronic budget mess. It’s time to take a stand and get our state back on track.”

Around 300 students, faculty and other onlookers attended the event, sponsored by the Student Alliance of North American Indians (SANAI). There were multiple people holding signs, most that read, “Yes on 30” and some that read, “Yes on 30, No on 32.”

Gov. Brown began his speech by stressing the importance of Prop 30’s passage this November.

Photo by Sal Ingram.

“We must win Proposition 30 — put money into the University, not take it out,” Brown said. “It’s money into our schools and universities, or it’s money out. It’s just that simple.”

Lydia Renteria, a member of SANAI, said it was important for her group that the governor was at UC Santa Cruz, and considers higher education a priority.

“We need to all support education,” Renteria said. “We need to take a step in the right direction by voting ‘Yes’ on Proposition 30.”