OKAY! At one point, I posted a diary about the trials of
voting in San Francisco, California. At the time, it was 388 pages of government-provided supporting documentation to wade through. That was before all the glossy mailings, door hangers, recorded phone calls, newspaper endorsements and even a hand-fan with a tassel from somebody running for supervisor. Then there was an additional 208-page final voters guide from the county. Seriously...you mulch all this stuff and you could build a house with it.
Anyway, because I slogged over so much of it - and because I'd like to think it was worth it - here are my calls on the San Francisco/CA ballot initiatives. Read, weep, discuss...
[EDIT: I agree with Kos. Death to the ballot initiative.]
As a rule, we vote against any bond measure that involves an increase in property taxes, regardless of actual merit. This is in protest to California's Proposition 13, which was passed in 1979...a full 14 years before I moved to CA. I will spare you the really dirty details, but the basic premise is that anyone who owned property - personal or commercial - prior to 1978 had their property values frozen at the then current-level. Any property purchased after that has been assessed at the market rate when sold or remodeled. Unlike my husband, I hardly begrudge my neighbors for voting for such a thing in 1978. I do, however, resent the fact that corporations get the same break and that people can transfer the property (and the low tax rates) to their kids, keeping the tax revenue down for generations to come. It's not just me. In the 1970s and early 80s, California's schools were among the best in the nation. Now they're among the worst. As an educator in the CA university system, believe me when I tell you...it shows. I'm not even complaining about the tax we pay, but rather that we don't all seem to be paying our "fair share". Agree or disagree, but the bottom line for us is that our property tax is just under $5000 per year...and our neighbor's is just under $700. When they talk of increasing taxes at a rate of $0.015 per $100 of value that means an increase of $9/year for our neighbor and $65/year for us...all because we didn't buy the house before I turned 9. That doesn't seem like good democracy to me.
BTW, the SF bond/tax measures alone (not counting the State ones) would raise our property taxes by about $160...and our neighbor's by $20. Sorry, but that just pisses me off. There are enough people who will vote for this stuff on the merit and not on the money, so things like the low-income housing and the stem cell research will pass regardless of my protest.
I've linked a few things, mostly from the SF Chronicle. I do read them, but I don't always agree with them. They do seem pretty sensible to me, but I also read the SF Bay Guardian and the CA League of Women Voters.
President | d'oh |
Senator | Barbara Boxer |
US Representative | Tom Lantos |
STATE PROPOSITIONS
- 1A: Ensures local property tax and sales tax revenues remain with local government...
- YES.
- 59: Amends Constitution to include public's right of access to meetings of government bodies and writings of government officials.
- YES. Access is always a good thing.
- 60: Requires general election ballot include candidate receiving most votes among candidates of same party for partisan office in primary election.
- NO. I like the open primary.
- 60A: Sale proceeds of most surplus state property pay off specified bonds.
- YES. It doesn't force the sale of the property, but if they do they shouldn't let the $$ go to general fund. Flawed legislation, but FWIW they should use the proceeds to pay off the bonds.
- 61: Authorizes $750 million general obligation bonds for grants to eligible children's hospitals...
- NO. Meritorious goal, but bond measure (see above).
- 62: Requires primary elections where voters may vote for any state or federal candidate regardless of party registration of voter or candidate.
- YES. See Prop. 60.
- 63: Establishes 1% tax on taxable personal income above $1 million to fund expanded health services for mentally ill children, adults, seniors.
- YES. Sure...why not. The only millionaire I know is leaving anyway.
- 64: Allows individual or class action "unfair business" lawsuits only if actual loss suffered
- YES. Sorry, you shouldn't be allowed to sue unless you've actually suffered loss. Period.
- 65: WITHDRAWN
- 66: Limits "Three Strikes" law to violent and/or serious felonies.
- YES. Fixed the flawed "three strikes" law where one can be sent away indefinitely for writing bad checks.
- 67: Increases telephone surcharge and allocates other funds for emergency room physicians, hospital emergency rooms, community clinics, emergency personnel training/equipment, and 911 telephone system.
- NO. No caps on the surcharge for cell phone users. Meritorious goal, but flawed legislation. Try again.
- 68: Authorizes tribal compact amendments. Unless tribes accept, authorizes casino gaming for sixteen non-tribal establishments.
- NO. Gambling. Pet peeve.
- 69: Requires collection of DNA samples from all felons, and from others arrested for or charged with specified crimes, and submission to state DNA database.
- NO. Oh gawd, no. Big Bro would be pleased.
- 70: Upon tribe's request, Governor must execute 99-year compact. Tribes contribute percentage of net gaming income to state funds, in exchange for expanded, exclusive tribal casino gaming.
- NO. Gambling. Pet peeve.
- 71: This measure establishes "California Institute for Regenerative Medicine" to regulate and fund stem cell research, constitutional right to conduct such research, and oversight committee.
- NO. Meritorious goal, but bond measure (see above). We are talking about $3 billion dollars...a staggering amount of money for a state...as if residents of other states wouldn't benefit. And GWB won't enable federal funding...
- 72: A "Yes" vote approves, and a "No" vote rejects legislation requiring health care coverage for employees, as specified, working for large and medium employers.
- NO. Flawed legislation. "Significant county health program savings. Significant public employer health coverage costs. Significant net state revenue losses."
SAN FRANCISCO BALLOT MEASURES
- A: Shall the City borrow $200,000,000 to buy, build or renovate supportive and affordable housing and assist low- and moderate-income individuals and households to buy a home?
- NO. Meritorious goal, but bond measure (see above).
- B: Shall the City borrow $60,000,000 to buy, renovate or preserve historical resources owned by the City or the San Francisco Unified School District?
- NO. Meritorious goal, but bond measure (see above).
- C: Shall the Health Service System be a separate City department, and shall the Health Service Board be authorized to appoint and remove the manager of the Health Service System?
- NO.
- D: Shall Charter rules be changed concerning the deadlines and number of votes required for action by the Board of Supervisors, the number of aides per Board member, and the length of time commissioners may serve after their term has expired?
- NO.
- E: Shall the City pay the survivor of a police officer or firefighter who dies in the line of duty 100% of retirement benefits the officer or firefighter would have received?
- YES. Sucky job and I don't want it. I don't want to put my family through it either.
- F: May San Francisco residents who are 18 or older vote in School Board elections, whether or not the resident is a United States citizen, if the resident is a parent, guardian or care-giver of a child in the School District?
- NO. No. I understand the argument, but my gut feeling is that if you want to vote, become a citizen. You can reap the benefits of living in the USA without it, but you run a risk and pay a price.
- G: Shall the City authorize the Health Service Board to establish health plans for City residents?
- YES. Would extend the offer of health plans to city residents, instead of just city employees.
- H: Shall the City-owned sports stadium at Candlestick Point be named "Candlestick Park?"
- YES. The city could earn some money, but I understand that some things should be sacred. I don't even like sports.
- I: Shall the City hire economists to study proposed legislation and report on the likely impact on the local economy, and shall the City develop a long-term Economic Development Plan?
- YES. D'oh.
- J: Shall the City increase the local sales tax by 1/4% (one-quarter-of-one-percent)?
- YES. See, I'm not anti-tax!
- K: Shall the City create a temporary 0.1% (one-tenth-of-one-percent) gross receipts tax, and clarify how the City's existing payroll expense tax applies to certain business entities? Besides, there is no such thing as a temporary tax increase.
- NO. Well, okay...I'm anti-THAT-tax. Unfair to small businesses and as I hope to have one someday...
- L: Shall 15% of the existing hotel tax surcharge be set aside to acquire, preserve and maintain neighborhood and single-screen movie theaters and promote the local film-making industry?
- NO. Puhleeze. SF is THE town of The Special Interest Group...all with legit reasons to raid the general fund. I love the Coronet, but I love my widescreen TV, too. Besides, I can think of better things to do in the city with 15% of the hotel tax surcharge.
- M: withdrawn
- ..
- N: Shall it be City policy to urge the United States government to withdraw all troops from Iraq and bring all military personnel in Iraq back to the United States?
- NO. Jeezus. Stick to the problems at hand...in the city. The vote for John Kerry by San Franciscans is more effective than the time wasted in typing, processing and reading this stupid ballot measure.
- O: Shall it be City policy to use additional sales tax funds resulting from approval of Proposition J to assist low-income residents including seniors, the disabled, children and the homeless?
- NO. "This declaration of policy would be a non-binding recommendation only." Please stop wasting my time!
- AA: To protect public safety and keep Bay Area traffic moving in the aftermath of an earthquake or other disaster, shall BART, the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, be authorized to issue bonds not to exceed $980 million dollars to make earthquake safety improvements to BART facilities in Contra Costa, San Francisco and Alameda Counties, including strengthening tunnels, bridges, overhead tracks and the underwater Transbay Tube, and establish an independent citizens' oversight committee to verify bond revenues are spent as promised?
- NO. Meritorious goal, but bond measure (see above).
Okay. Stick a fork in me. I'm done. I'm now going to drink heavily from now until Kerry is President...er, President-Elect.