Bill Magavern’s CA Ballot Rx
These opinions are my husband, Bill Magavern's,
STATEWIDE PROPOSITIONS – all of these were put on the ballot by the Legislature.
"Please feel free to forward them, or to send [him] comments of a civil nature (no rants).
PROP 68, PARKS/WATER/NATURAL RESOURCES BOND -- YES
I don’t love general obligation bonds in general, because taxpayers pay them back with interest, but this one would fund critical needs that are not easily met with other revenue sources. Funds would go to drinking water, flood protection, land conservation, and parks. I especially like that most of the parks money would be set aside for disadvantaged communities that have few parks.
PROP 69, TRANSPORTATION SPENDING – YES
This was part of the big transportation infrastructure package (SB 1) passed last year, and it’s pretty simple: the revenues raised by that measure, through higher taxes and fees on fuels and vehicles, could only be used for transportation purposes, like road repair and public transit expansion and operations. This one is a close call for me. SB 1 had both plusses and minuses, and it’s not always wise to wall off revenues so that they can’t be used during fiscal crises. But we undeniably do need to invest more in transportation, and voters need to be assured that the taxes they pay at the pump are going to improve transportation. Without that assurance, it will be difficult to build support for the revenues that are essential to modernizing our transportation system to reduce accidents, congestion and pollution. The Republicans are opposing this measure because their main strategy for the November election is to ride an initiative that seeks to repeal SB 1’s taxes and put all future fuel tax increases on the ballot, which is a recipe for gridlock, potholes and lung disease.
PROP 70, DIRTY DEAL TO STOP CLIMATE ACTION – NO
This ridiculous measure was put on the ballot as part of a deal to get some Republicans to vote to extend the cap-and-trade system for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Using their leverage, some Republicans bargained for this constitutional amendment that would require a 2/3 vote in 2024 to spend the revenues that are raised by auctioning off pollution allowances. That means an undemocratic process that would allow a minority of legislators to hold important climate investments hostage to their demands for pork-barrel spending and special-interest deals. The auction revenues that would be at risk are used to reduce pollution and provide jobs and services through solar energy, public transit, clean vehicles, and urban forestry, among other programs. More info at https://stopprop70.org.
PROP 71, EFFECTIVE DATE FOR BALLOT MEASURES – YES
Under existing law, approved ballot measures take effect the day after the election. This could be highly problematic for close races, because counting all the votes can take weeks. So Prop 71 would have the measures take effect five days after the results of the election are certified.
PROP 72, RAINWATER CAPTURE SYSTEMS EXCLUDED FROM PROPERTY TAXES – YES
This is a smart idea to encourage homeowners to install rainwater capture systems that collect and store rainwater that falls on the roof of a building. The water can then be used for gardens, flushing toilets, or other non-drinking uses, relieving stress on our precious water supplies. Prop 72 would allow homeowners to install such systems without seeing an increase in their property taxes. There is a similar exclusion for solar power systems.
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