Fall 2010 Voter Guide

I am hijacking Sadie and Jack's blog to post my local election picks. For those of you not in California, please disregard, other than to remember to vote tomorrow. For my California friends and family here are my recommendations.

Propositions:

YES!
Prop 19 – Legalize marijuana
This one is a no-brainer. Marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and
tobacco, and probably more accessible for minors as an illegal
substance than any legal drug. Additionally, legalizing pot would
bring in a new revenue stream to a cash-strapped state and drastically
cut down on criminal justice costs associated with current laws
against pot. While it is highly unlikely that it will pass, this prop
has the potential to do more good than any other prop on the ballot.

NO
Prop 20 – Expanding citizen redistricting to congressional seats
California votes just created a citizens’ redistricting commission
only a few elections ago and it has yet to function. It seems
extremely premature to expand that power of that commission before we
have any proof that it is better than the current system, which does
suck, but so could the citizens’ commission.

No Recommendation
Prop 21 – Taxes vehicle registration to fund state parks
I’ll be voting for this prop, as it restores the vehicle registration
fee levels that Schwarzenegger slashed only to get elected and which
created huge deficits in CA. The restored revenue would fund state
parks. This tax will most likely be restored at some point and I’d
rather see those funds go to parks over, say, prisons. That said I am
not making a recommendation as I respect the argument to vote against
this measure, which is that ballot-box budgeting is bad for the state
and taxpayers.

YES
Prop 22 – Keeps local tax revenue local
This initiative is in response to the governor and state legislature's
previous move to balance the state budget by taking local
transportation and redevelopment funds. In general, I feel like tax
payers have more control over revenue when it is spent locally versus
at the state level. When was the last time you wrote a letter or
testified at hearing at the state level? Sacramento politicians tend
to be very cut-off from their constituents and thus the argument that
local dollars should be protected from state raids. Being in the field
of affordable housing, I also know how important redevelopment funds
are for the creation of low-income housing. When the state raided
these funds previously not a single dollar went to housing.

NO
Prop 23 – Delays implementation of previously approved environmental laws
This is a fight between big oil and environmentalists. The state
previously passed AB 32 to limit air pollution in CA. Now big oil
companies want to take advantage of the current economic climate to
dupe voters into delaying implementation of AB 32. Personally, I feel
strongly that going green is the best thing for our economy. Had we
gone green 30 years ago maybe Ford would have come out with the Prius
instead of Toyota.

YES
Prop 24 – Closes corporate tax loopholes
This prop would restore corporate taxes to a level that they have
always been at. It repeals a law that was passed by the state
legislature that would cut corporate taxes by $2B starting next year.
Do we really need to cut corporate taxes while the state is broke?

YES!
Prop 25 – Eliminates the budget super majority (otherwise known as the
Republican stranglehold on the state budget)
In 1978 CA voters passed prop 13, which lowered property taxes, but
also created a 2/3 majority requirement to pass the state budget every
year. As a result the minority party (Republicans) have inordinate
power in budget negotiations because rarely is the state legislature
2/3 democrats. Practically every year Republicans refuse to pass the
budget until democrats make major concessions like the corporate tax
loopholes mentioned above. Prop 25 would change state law to allow a
simple majority to pass a budget, which by the way, is how budgets are
passed in almost every other state in the country.

NO!
Prop 26 – Would expand the 2/3 super majority to the passage of fee increases
As if Prop 13 was not bad enough, the original backers are at again
and trying to expand the 2/3 super majority requirement to fee
increases. While we all don’t like fee increases, super majorities are
bad for taxpayers and good for republicans for all the reasons listed
above.

NO
Prop 27 – Eliminates the citizen’s redistricting commission
As mentioned under Prop 20, voters just created this commission. This
prop seeks to disband the commission before they even get started.
Before we disband the commission we should find out if the new system
is an improvement.

Candidates:

I did not have time to write about all the candidates, so I am passing
on Peter Drier’s candidate picks. Peter is an Occidental College
professor and very active in progressive circles. I agree with his
take on all the candidates below that I am familiar with, and trust
him on the ones I’m not familiar with.

Governor of California – Jerry Brown. (Brown is the obvious choice
over Meg Whitman, who often didn’t even bother to vote, is a huge
hypocrite about immigrant reform, and has spent $140 million of her
own fortune to win this race so she can run California on behalf of
big business and the very rich).

Lt. Governor – Gavin Newsom (Newsom is in a very, very close race
with the extremely conservative Republican, Abel Maldonado).

Secretary of State – Debra Bowen (She’s done an excellent job and is a
real progressive).

Controller - John Chiang (He, too, has done an excellent job)

Treasurer - Bill Lockyer (Ditto)

Insurance Commissioner – Dave Jones (The insurance companies are
pouring in lots of money to defeat Dave Jones. Insurance Commissioner
is a critical position in California State government, especially in
terms of implementing the new federal health care law)

Attorney General – Kamala Harris (Harris is in a dead heat with Steve
Cooley, a long supporter of the death penalty)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction - Tom Torlakson

US Senate - Barbara Boxer (Boxer is one of the most liberal members
of the Senate and an effective advocate for the environment, women’s
rights, jobs, and other important issues).

29th Congressional District – Adam Schiff (Schiff has become an
effective member of Congress who has been a strong advocate for many
liberal causes, including his strong support for a “public option”
during the health care battle).

44th Assembly District – Anthony Portantino (Portantino has been an
incredibly responsive and hard-working legislator, and a major
advocate for public education).

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge
Office 28 – Mark Ameli
Office 117 – Alan Schneider

Thank you to everyone voting tomorrow!

Best,

Molly