Sergey Brin opens up about harrowing Soviet past — says California lost its way
A past interview with Sergey Brin has drawn renewed attention as the billionaire entrepreneur speaks out against a proposed tax on the ultra-wealthy in California.
In a report published Monday by The New York Times, Brin explained why he is financially backing efforts to defeat the measure, which voters are expected to decide on this November.
Brin, whose net worth is estimated at $260 billion, pointed to his early life in the Soviet Union as shaping his views. He said his family left in 1979 to escape what he described as an oppressive system, adding that he does not want California to follow a similar path.
Speaking at a December event hosted by Stanford University School of Engineering, Brin reflected on his childhood in Moscow. He described growing up in a small apartment shared with multiple family members and said he had little awareness of life outside his immediate surroundings.
He recalled that his father’s perspective changed after traveling to Poland for a conference, where he learned more about life in Western countries. That experience led the family to emigrate to the United States when Brin was six years old, a move he said was not without controversy.
After arriving in America with limited resources, Brin had to adapt to a new language and culture. He described the experience as difficult but ultimately eye-opening. He later earned his undergraduate degree in Maryland and went on to attend graduate school at Stanford, where he experienced another sense of personal and intellectual freedom.
Brin said California once embodied a spirit of openness and opportunity but suggested that the state may be drifting away from those ideals.
Although he avoided directly criticizing policy at the Stanford event, his recent actions signal clear opposition to the proposed tax. He has contributed at least $57 million toward campaigns aimed at blocking the measure, including support for a group called Building a Better California. The effort includes backing alternative ballot initiatives that could counter the tax proposal.
Brin is also among several wealthy individuals who have adjusted their financial footprint in California since the proposal emerged. Reports indicate he has relocated to a residence in the Lake Tahoe area.
Earlier in his career, Brin supported causes such as same-sex marriage and environmental policies. He also backed the reelection campaign of Barack Obama and previously criticized Donald Trump.
More recently, however, Brin has shown support for Steve Hilton, a candidate in California’s gubernatorial race who has received an endorsement from Trump.
The proposed tax, backed by the labor union SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, would impose a 5 percent levy on billionaires. Supporters say the revenue would help fund healthcare and education programs facing potential federal funding reductions.
Opponents, including Gavin Newsom, argue that the tax could harm California’s economy and weaken its role as a center for innovation.
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