Capitol Alert

Gov. Jerry Brown has stopped collecting signatures for his original ballot measure to raise taxes, satisfied that signature gathering for a compromise initiative is progressing quickly enough to qualify it for the November ballot, an adviser said this afternoon.

"We are confident in the progress the coalition is making towards qualifying the new measure for the November ballot," political adviser Steve Glazer said.

Glazer said the decision to stop collecting signatures for Brown's original initiative was reached today.

The Democratic governor and the California Federation of Teachers, which had proposed its own tax initiative, agreed last month to a compromise proposal that includes a smaller sales tax increase but larger income tax increase on the state's highest earners than Brown originally proposed. Even after announcing the deal, Brown kept collecting signatures for his original initiative.

VIDEO: Dan Walters explains why the state Lottery isn't a windfall for California schools.

Have a question you'd like Dan to answer? Post it on our Facebook page.

See other Dan Walters Daily clips here.

Read Dan Walters' columns here.

Windfall? Or just an advertising slogan? In today's video report, Dan Walters talks about the money that the Lottery provides for California's schools.

The Bee kicks off a series of weekly live chats today that we'll be running every Wednesday between now and the June 5 primary.

First up, we look at the race in the new 6th Assembly District, where Folsom lawyer Andy Pugno is challenging a fellow Republican, Assemblywoman Beth Gaines.

Pugno has declined to participate, but Gaines will join Democratic rival Regy Bronner to answer readers' questions during the chat, which Torey Van Oot will moderate. Find it at this link from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Members of the Occupy movement and forest activists are gathering at Sacramento's Cesar Chavez Park at 9th and I streets at 11 a.m. before marching a few blocks away to the state Board of Forestry and Fire Protection at 1416 9th Street to demand an end to clear-cutting.

Assemblyman Jeff Gorell, R-Camarillo, will get an official welcome home from Afghanistan tonight at an event from 5 to 7 p.m. at California Lutheran University's Gilbert Sports and Athletic Center Arena in Thousand Oaks. For more information, click here.