Long after Barack Obama won his second term as president Tuesday night, the battle for California’s Proposition 30 continued on into the night.

As of 1:10 a.m. Wednesday, the California Secretary of State website reported 53 percent “yes” and 47 percent “no,” with 72.3 percent of precincts reporting.

Proposition 30, the “Temporary Taxes to Fund Education” ballot measure, would increase taxes by .25 percent for four years and raise the income tax on citizens who make more than $250,000 for seven years in an attempt to temporarily stabilize funds for education.

If the initiative failed to pass, it would have triggered $250 million in budget cuts to the California State University system, likely resulting in higher tuition for students in the coming semesters.

The proposition has been a major topic of debate in California, as well as on the Fresno State campus.

The Fresno State College Republicans and College Democrats club representatives discussed the topic in a heated debate on Oct. 18 in the Free Speech Area. A debate between two graduate communication students also brought attention to Proposition 30 on the Fresno State campus.

Gov. Jerry Brown took a campaign tour of California on Oct. 23, heavily promoting the “profoundly important” ballot measure in Los Angeles, San Diego, Bakersfield and Fresno.

“It’s not about the legislature,” Brown said. “It’s about the kids, students and future of our state.”

Congressman Jim Costa added, “This kind of investment is critical to ensuring California’s future economic well-being.”

Opponents of Proposition 30 cite that it would not guarantee funds for schools, and that most of the money would be lost into the general state fund, with no accountability for where it would go actually go.

As the first numbers for Proposition 30 started rolling in at 8:00 p.m., when polls officially closed in California, it stood at about 46 percent “yes” and 54 percent “no.” The voting results became closer as the hours passed by, with “yes” steadily narrowing the margin.

At 11:05 p.m., the ballot initiative tipped into “yes” territory with 50.1 percent of the vote, a lead that would not be relinquished for the rest of the evening.