Thread: CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: VOTE NO ON PROP 1A - 1F

Grading the Propositions


By Thomas Karako

Posted April 7, 2009


The Claremont Institute's Golden State Center presents a new report analyzing the upcoming Propositions 1A-F on California's May 19, 2009 special election, Grading the Propositions, by Tom Karako. The full report may be downloaded HERE.


Executive Summary

On May 19, Californians will go to the polls. There they will be asked to render judgment upon six complicated ballot measures, Propositions 1A-F. The combined financial implication of these propositions is in the billions, and they come at a time when our state is facing the largest budget crisis in its 159-year history.

Are these six ballot measures good for California? Will they help remedy California's broken financial and budgeting system? These are questions of good government, and they are non-partisan.

On balance, it seems to us that these measures fall far short of the needed reforms, in either the short- or long-term. Some propositions threaten to prolong and even worsen California's systemic fiscal problems.

The following is an assessment of the individual propositions on their respective merits as a matter of public policy. For simplicity and to help clarify their content, we've given them nicknames and graded them as follows:


1A "The Tax Increase" Grade: F
1B "The Teachers' Union Special" Grade: F
1C "Gambling with the Lottery" Grade: C
1D-E "Moving Money Around I & II" Grade: C+
1E "Legislators' Guilty Consciences" Grade: F

Collectively, the propositions ask Californians for permission to borrow additional billions, to move money around between programs, and to extend tax increases through 2012.

Propositions 1A and 1B threaten to harm California's economy with tax extensions its citizenry cannot afford, make the budget process even more complicated, further ensconce education spending from legislative oversight and meaningful reform, and make future budgeting even more difficult. We have given both 1A and 1B a failing grade of "F."

Proposition 1C may be needed to alleviate short-term budget shortfall without raising taxes, but does so with potentially severe long-term costs. Thus we have given Proposition 1C a grade of "C."

Propositions 1D-E hold out some prospect of alleviating the short-term budget crisis while also pointing to the need for more general flexibility and responsibility among the legislators to prioritize and reallocate funds. For this reason we have given 1D-E a grade of "C+."

Proposition 1F would neither help nor harm the state budget. Instead, 1F gives a false impression that voters were somehow punishing their legislators. With voters laboring under such a delusion, they may be less inclined to exact real accountability from their elected officials at the ballot box. We also give 1F a failing grade of "F."

The full report, Grading the Propositions, may be downloaded HERE.

Media inquiries, please contact

Tom Karako

Director of Programs

The Claremont Institute

(909) 621.6825 x127

http://www.claremont.org/projects/pageI ... efault.asp

On May 19, Californians will go to the polls. There they will be asked to render judgment upon six complicated ballot measures, Propositions 1A-F. The combined financial implication of these propositions is in the billions, and they come at a time when our state is facing the largest budget crisis in its 159-year history. Propositions 1A and 1B threaten to harm California's economy with tax extensions its citizenry cannot afford, make the budget process even more complicated, further ensconce education spending from legislative oversight and meaningful reform, and make future budgeting even more difficult. We have given both 1A and 1B a failing grade of "F." Proposition 1F would neither help nor harm the state budget. Instead, 1F gives a false impression that voters were somehow punishing their legislators. With voters laboring under such a delusion, they may be less inclined to exact real accountability from their elected officials at the ballot box. We also give 1F a failing grade of "F."

http://www.claremont.org/projects/pageI ... efault.asp

Schwarzenegger vows to campaign for ballot props

TRACIE CONE, The Associated Press

1:46 p.m. April 13, 2009

FRESNO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, facing growing opposition to next month's special election, said Monday he will campaign "day and night" for the budget-related measures he and lawmakers put before voters.

Schwarzenegger said voters are telling him they favor Proposition 1A, the centerpiece measure on the May 19 election. It will impose a state spending cap and beef up the state's rainy day fund.

A recent poll found more opposition than support, in part because the measure also would extend increases in the sales, income and vehicle taxes for one to two years.

"More and more people are coming up to me on the streets saying they are going to vote 'yes,'" said the governor, who travels with a security team.

His comments came in response to a reporter's question after he attended an event at Fresno City College to promote a health care program.
Schwarzenegger told a crowd at the community college that he plans to campaign for the ballot propositions in the coming weeks during a series of town hall meetings.

"I'm going to work day and night, up and down the state, to communicate with the people," Schwarzenegger said.

It's unclear whether the governor's support will help. A recent poll put his approval rating at 32 percent.

The Public Policy Institute of California poll taken last month also found that 46 percent of likely voters oppose Proposition 1A, while 39 percent support it. The rest were undecided.

The governor and lawmakers called for the special election when they agreed in February on a plan to close California's budget deficit, then projected to be nearly $42 billion through June 2010.

Part of the budget package was to place six measures on a May special election ballot. In addition to Proposition 1A, the measures would raise $5 billion by selling bonds based on future state lottery revenue, increase future education funding, take money from mental health and early childhood education accounts, and freeze lawmakers' salaries when the state runs a deficit.

Schwarzenegger and other supporters say Proposition 1A will end California's roller coaster budgeting by imposing a strict spending cap on lawmakers and socking away money during good years that can be used for general purposes when times are tight.

The Republican governor said supporting the measure was a "no-brainer."
"For 60 years, this has been plaguing the state – that we don't have a good budget system in place," he said. "Now the people of California have a chance to fix this and create a budget system where we have a cap and a rainy day fund."

Schwarzenegger and other supporters have a lot of persuading to do in the five weeks before Election Day.

A number of influential groups have lined up against Proposition 1A, including the League of Women Voters and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. On Monday, the California Faculty Association, California Federation of Teachers and SEIU California State Council filed paperwork with the state to form a ballot committee opposing the measure.

Some state employee unions reject the idea of setting a spending cap, while taxpayer groups oppose the provision of Proposition 1A that will extend tax increases.

SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE

COMMENTS ON THIS STORY


SanDiego92129 4 minutes ago


To all on this list. Be active in the political process. Your future-your children's future-your grand-children's future depend you your vote coming up in May. Regardless of what side you are on -- VOTE. Become an activist. Get vocal -- get in the faces of your representatives. Make them realize you the PEOPLE are in control.

Here are my suggestions for the upcoming referendums:

Proposition 1A Prop 1A combines a 4-year tax hike of about $16 billion with a state spending cap
VOTE NO !!!!!
Two more years of additional taxes.

Proposition 1B Modification of California Proposition 98 (199 to free up money for state's budget overruns.
VOTE NO !!!!!

Proposition 1C Sell rights to future lottery proceeds as a way of raising some cash now for state budget.
VOTE NO !!!!!
Enough money is going to education -- where are the results? Changing the metrics for school performance is a sham. No, No, No.

Proposition 1D Asks voters to approve taking money from Prop 10 in 1998 for purposes not allowed in that 1998 vote.
VOTE NO !!!!!
Another attack on the PEOPLE who voted in 1998. You politicians had better wake up -- or else.

Proposition 1E Asks voters to take money from Prop 63 for purposes not allowed in that 2004 vote.
VOTE NO !!!!!
Again....another attack on the PEOPLE who voted in 2004. Wake up Politicians. Be afraid of being voted out of office. Be very afraid.

Proposition 1F No pay raises for state legislators in years when there is a state budget deficit
VOTE YES !!!!!
Though not on the ballot -- I would suggest, decreasing permanently, the salaries of our Legislatures by 2% per day when they do not submit the budget on time.

These are opportune times for the PEOPLE to make their voices heard -- backed by tea parties -- ruthless use of email, internet, talk radio -- we can turn the tide and bring back Government to the PEOPLE !!!!! Am I a dangerous person to the status quo ????? -- you bet your sweet behind I am. I am an activist that can only hope to contribute in the goal of turning around this Government.

SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE

Thanks for helping to get the word out about the truth behind Prop 1A, Skip. Special interest groups, politicians and people with big money will do their best to get it passed so the more people realize the truth the better chance we have this will not pass. Sneaky crooked politicians!

STRICKLAND: Stop the pillaging ---- stop 1A

By PHIL STRICKLAND

Wednesday, April 15, 2009 12:13 AM PDT

The Tax Foundation says the national tax-independence day was Monday ---- unless you calculate to include the growing federal deficit resulting from profligate spending since September.

So, instead of two days ago, the nation won’t be shuck of the federal yoke until May 29, the group says.

That extension of the "tax-freedom" date is a 50 percent increase in your tax burden.

And instead of being a few hundred billion dollars in the hole, we’re on a trajectory that is fiscal madness as trillions of dollars disappear in the rear-view mirror. And that doesn’t take into account the billions of dollars wasted by state government.

Taken with the folly that is our state government, it's no wonder taxpayers are holding tea parties today to protest their violation at the hands of their governments, the purpose of which has been perverted by its practitioners.

And there is no more telling evidence than Prop. 1A, on which we'll vote May 19.

Already, politicians and pundits are trying hard to justify this craziness using fear: Bad things will happen if we don't throw more cash down the state money pit.

Bad things like refusing to give our schools the money they were promised when we sent it to Sacramento. Oops, already did that.

Or raiding the transportation fund for non-transportation purposes. Oh, wait, that's another "Oops, already did that."

But, say the pols and pundits, the only way to get us out of this mess is to raise taxes which ---- make no mistake ---- Prop. 1A does and to cap spending which, make no mistake, it won't.

What it does is shield the guilty from the glaring, colossal stupidity they've exhibited in allowing billions of dollars to be spent on people who are here illegally and thwarting the state from collecting billions of dollars from off-shore energy production, to name just two examples.

Thus, the real question Prop. 1A asks is: Have our people in Sacramento done a good job in their stewardship of our government and money?

Good sense dictates the answer is a resounding "No."

But what to do? We could try living in reality, though initially it would be painful.

This weekend, we were treated to Los Angeles Mayor Tony Villaraigosa almost whimpering as he predicted the state would fall into bankruptcy if Prop. 1A fails.

And ��-?

How about "And we learn to live within our means" and move more state responsibilities ---- and jobs, and money ---- to the local level.

In our little city of Temecula, city leaders have demonstrated that if you want something done in a timely manner and without wasting millions of dollars, you do it yourself and leave the state out of it.

Some politicians are giving lip service to the anti-Prop. 1A movement, but what is needed is cash to combat the millions of dollars that will be put to work to pick your pockets.

As for bankruptcy, maybe that's what we need as a first step ---- the city of New York and Orange County are none the worse for it, and maybe we could set some things straight.

Look, the ebb and flow of commerce is not the problem. The problem is fiscal irresponsibility ---- which includes the bloated state bureaucracy ---- and, in that regard, Prop. 1A is just the same old scam.

Aren't you more than a little tired of that?


Phil Strickland writes from Temecula. Contact him at philipestrickland@yahoo.com.

NORTH COUNTY TIMES

California Republicans opposed to all ballot measures
By Samantha Young, The Associated Press
Updated: 04/18/2009 11:31:01 PM PDT


SACRAMENTO - The California Republican Party on Saturday voted to oppose all six ballot proposals in next month's special election, saying voters must reject higher taxes.

The vote by the party's executive committee followed a lively, hour-long debate that focused on Proposition 1A. The measure would create a state spending cap and bolster California's rainy day fund, two concepts Republicans have long promoted.

But those provisions were overshadowed by triggers in the measure that would extend the sales and income taxes adopted by the state Legislature.

Party chairman Ron Nehring said the vote symbolized his members' dissatisfaction with the entire budget deal struck by the governor and lawmakers in February to close the state's budget deficit, then projected to be nearly $42 billion.

"The Republican Party in California remains strongly opposed to raising taxes," party chairman Ron Nehring said after the voice vote. "There was a sentiment all the measures in question are part of the same budget package."

The party also voted to oppose the other five measures before voters on the May 19th ballot.

Those measures would increase future education funding, raise $5 billion by selling bonds based on future state lottery revenue, take money from mental health and early childhood education accounts, and freeze lawmakers' salaries when the state runs a deficit.

In a statement released by the campaign supporting the measures, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca said he was disappointed "this small group of party insiders chose to oppose these reforms" that provide critical state funding.

"This measure will get to the heart of alleviating our budget problems both in the short and long term, and that is crucial for the future of public safety in this state," Baca said.

The party's position puts them at odds with Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger who has said he will work day and night for the budget-related measures.

Ironically, the party has given Schwarzenegger $650,000 this year, which he could use to promote the slate of ballot measures.

Assembly Republican Mike Villines of Clovis, who helped broker the deal, urged party leaders Saturday to support the package. He said the proposed temporary taxes were far better than the permanent taxes Democrats sought to push through the Legislature.

The party's three leading GOP candidates for governor next year have taken varying positions.

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner also opposes all of the measures, former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman opposes propositions 1A, 1B and 1C but supports 1D, 1E and 1F, and former Rep. Tom Campbell supports 1A, 1D and 1E, and opposes 1B and 1E. Campbell has not taken a position on 1F.


http://www.dailynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12175249

I just voted NO on all of these. Thanks for posting this!