Two potential statewide ballot measures for 2010 have begun circulating in California.

The California Secretary of State's office announced this week that organizers have begun collecting signatures for a measure that would levy a one-time 55 percent tax on property exceeding $20 million, held by either a resident or non-resident.

A second group is collecting signatures for a measure that would make all November general election days - the first Tuesday after the first Monday - state holidays.

The first measure, a constitutional amendment defined as a wealth tax in its summary information, would also levy a one-time tax of between 36.5 percent and 54.3 percent on income of more than $10 million when a resident dies or leaves the state.

There would also be an additional 17.5 percent tax on incomes of more than $150,000 if single, $250,000 if married, and an additional 35 percent on incomes of $350,000 if single and $500,000 if married.

The measure would also create some tax credits, compel the state to acquire shares of certain companies for influence over those companies' environmental practices, and give the state leeway to exempt the new revenues from education spending mandates.

The wealth tax is sponsored by Paul McCauley, for whom no additional information could be found.

The other measure, creating a state Election Day holiday, is sponsored by Roy Benson, who first introduced the idea in 2005. He also maintains a website in support of the idea.

The wealth tax measure must gather signatures of 694,354 registered voters, or 8 percent of all voters who cast ballots in the 2006 gubernatorial election, in order to qualify for the ballot. The Election Day holiday measure must collect 433,971 voter signatures, or 5 percent of the 2006 ballot total, to qualify.

Both measures must collect the necessary number of signatures by Jan. 2, 2009. Unless there is a special statewide election before then, qualified measures would be on the ballot for the primary election in 2010.