Gov. Brown optimistic about California's future

SACRAMENTO, Calif. Cheering a California rebound, Gov. Jerry Brown says voter-approved tax increases have put the state on sound financial footing but warns lawmakers that they must be tight-fisted with the government purse strings.

The Democratic governor delivered his third State of the State address Thursday since reclaiming the governor's office. He did so just months after voters approved his Proposition 30, which raised sales and income taxes temporarily.

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His speech was filled with the rhetorical gems and historical references that are hallmarks of his addresses, but it did not break new ground.

The main topics Brown addressed — reform of K-12 education funding, the need for the higher education systems to hold down costs, promotion of high-speed rail and water tunnels under the delta — have been addressed previously, including in his budget proposal.

Brown mostly used his speech to congratulate voters and lawmakers for having an optimistic vision of California. The state, he said, "has once again confounded our critics."