Propositions

There's a lot of issues in front of California voters this year and as usual, they're filled with deceptive language designed to trick the voter. DON'T FALL FOR IT! Use this guide to help you break down the issues and learn what each ballot proposition REALLY does this year.

Proposition 1 - Authorizes bonds to fund specified housing assistance programs

Authorizes $4 billion in general obligation bonds for existing affordable housing programs for low-income residents, veterans, farmworkers, manufactured and mobile homes, infill, and transit-oriented housing. Fiscal Impact: Increased state costs to repay bonds averaging about $170 million annually over the next 35 years.

VOTE NO

Come on. More borrowing? No more! Truth in Accounting just reported that California's long-term debt obligations currently stand at an incredible $270 BILLION! Enough said.

Proposition 2 - Authorizes bonds to fund existing housing program for individuals with mental illness

Amends Mental Health Services Act to fund No Place Like Home Program, which finances housing for individuals with mental illness. Ratifies existing law establishing the No Place Like Home Program. Fiscal Impact: Allows the state to use up to $140 million per year of county mental health funds to repay up to $2 billion in bonds. These bonds would fund housing for those with mental illness who are homeless.

VOTE NO

Again with the spending and bonds.

Proposition 3 - Authorizes bonds to fund projects for water supply and quality, watershed, fish, wildlife, water conveyance, and groundwater sustainability and storage

Authorizes $8.877 billion in state general obligation bonds for various infrastructure projects. Fiscal Impact: Increased state costs to repay bonds averaging $430 million per year over 40 years. Local government savings for water-related projects, likely averaging a couple hundred million dollars annually over the next few decades.

VOTE NO

Yet more borrowing.

Proposition 4 - Authorizes bonds funding construction at hospitals providing children's health care

Authorizes $1.5 billion in bonds, to be repaid from state’s General Fund, to fund grants for construction, expansion, renovation, and equipping of qualifying children’s hospitals. Fiscal Impact: Increased state costs to repay bonds averaging about $80 million annually over the next 35 years.

VOTE NO

Did no one see the $270 BILLION figure California owes on its long-term debt obligations?? Seriously, that's with a 'B' folks. We can't afford these things!

Proposition 5 - Changes requirements for certain property owners to transfer their property tax base to replacement property

Removes certain transfer requirements for homeowners over 55, severely disabled homeowners, and contaminated or disaster-destroyed property. Fiscal Impact: Schools and local governments each would lose over $100 million in annual property taxes early on, growing to about $1 billion per year. Similar increase in state costs to backfill school property tax losses.

VOTE YES

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association says "YES" to Prop 5 too. It may help the elderly to move around and ease the housing crunch.

Proposition 6 - Eliminates certain road repair and transportation funding, requires certain fuel taxes and vehicle fees be approved by the electorate

Repeals a 2017 transportation law’s taxes and fees designated for road repairs and public transportation. Fiscal Impact: Reduced ongoing revenues of $5.1 billion from state fuel and vehicle taxes that mainly would have paid for highway and road maintenance and repairs, as well as transit programs.

VOTE YES YES YES YES YES YES

That's six yes's for the gas and car tax repeal.

Proposition 7 - Conforms California Daylight Saving Time to Federal Law. Allows Legislature to change Daylight Saving Time period

Gives Legislature ability to change daylight saving time period by two-thirds vote, if changes are consistent with federal law. Fiscal Impact: This measure has no direct fiscal effect because changes to daylight saving time would depend on future actions by the Legislature and potentially the federal government.

KEN SAYS YES, JOHN SAYS NO!

And here we have proof on how easy it is for people to get anything on the ballot. This is the work of Assembly member Kansen Chu. He is obsessed with Daylight Saving Time. Anyway, even if it passes, it's a long way from happening. It will be left up to the Legislature to decide whether we stay on Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time.

Let's be honest though, going through the ritual of changing our clocks two times a year is getting really old.

Proposition 8 - Regulates amounts outpatient kidney dialysis clinics charge for dialysis treatment

Requires rebates and penalties if charges exceed limit. Requires annual reporting to the state. Prohibits clinics from refusing to treat patients based on payment source. Fiscal Impact: Overall annual effect on state and local governments ranging from net positive impact in the low tens of millions of dollars to net negative impact in the tens of millions of dollars.

VOTE NO

A couple of listeners dropped by and said SEIU (Service Employees International Union) started this proposition which is enough for us to say VOTE NO.

Proposition 9 - Breaking California up into three states

This ballot measure was kicked off the ballot by a judge earlier this year. So... vote... nothing on this?

Proposition 10 - Expands local governments' authority to enact rent control on residential property

Repeals state law that currently restricts the scope of rent control policies that cities and other local jurisdictions may impose on residential property. Fiscal Impact: Potential net reduction in state and local revenues of tens of millions of dollars per year in the long term. Depending on actions by local communities, revenue losses could be less or considerably more.

VOTE NO

Rent control isn't a solution to the housing crunch. Allowing local governments to dictate how much landlords can charge for rent will do absolutely nothing to solve the homeless crisis. Vote NO.

Proposition 11 - Requires private-sector emergency ambulance employees remain on-call during work breaks. Eliminates certain employer liability

Law entitling hourly employees to breaks without being on-call would not apply to private-sector ambulance employees. Fiscal Impact: Likely fiscal benefit to local governments (in the form of lower costs and higher revenues), potentially in the tens of millions of dollars each year.

VOTE YES

Allowing private emergency ambulance employees remain on call during work breaks seems like a no-brainer right? What if you're having a heart attack and an ambulance crew is down the street on their lunch break and want to respond? Under current law, they have to wait. Vote yes and hopefully save some lives.

Proposition 12 - Establishes new standards for confinement of specified farm animals, bans sale of noncomplying products

Establishes minimum requirements for confining certain farm animals. Prohibits sales of meat and egg products from animals confined in noncomplying manner. Fiscal Impact: Potential decrease in state income tax revenues from farm businesses, likely not more than several million dollars annually. State costs up to $10 million annually to enforce the measure.

VOTE NO

Huh? Enough with farm animals and their space. Does everyone and everything need a 'Safe Space?"

Local Measures

John and Ken are a 'No' vote on all the local measures. That's a blanket NO! Most of the money is just going directly to public employee pensions.

Los Angeles County Stormwater Parcel Tax ("Safe Clean Water Program)

VOTE NO

The tax is supposedly raising up to $300 million every year for stormwater capture and cleanup infrastructure and programs, but... didn't we vote for something like this in June? And before that in November? And again before that?