State Ballot Propositions
Nix on them all, with a few exceptions...
None of this years' propositions or initiatives impressed our CaRLC Executive
Committee. The two 'Yes' votes mainly eliminate silly restrictions and a bad
proposition from the last election. Commentary by your venerable Chairman.
- Prop 1-A (Indian Gaming) No Position
Restrictions on voluntary adult risk-taking is foolish, but allowing
that service to be provided only on the basis of racial characteristics
is wrong. Pick your poison.
- Prop 12 (Bond) No
Prop 13 (Bond) No
Prop 14 (Bond) No
Prop 15 (Bond) No
Prop 16 (Bond) No
The purpose isn't relevant; state deficit spending is neither frugal nor
necessary. Bond issues double the cost, pass the burden on to our
children, provide tax benefits to large investors, increase the cash on
hand for legislators, and increase the costs of private debt.
- Prop 17 (Charitable Lottery) Yes
The current laws are silly and never enforced. Gambling should be an
issue of personal responsibility, honesty, and simple entertainment.
- Prop 18 (Murder Circumstances) No
Prop 19 (Peace Offiers) No
Technical changes that have some good and several bad elements.
- Prop 20 (Textbook Lottery) No
Another excuse for government failures and unbalanced educational
priorities at the local level.
- Prop 21 (Juvenile Crime) No
Riddled with bad ideas: guilt by association, unwarranted searches and
profiling, expanded police powers when other options are available and
effective.
- Prop 22 (Limits On Marriage) No
Irrelevant to US Constitutional or state law, being used as a vehicle
for gay-bashing and an effort to enforce cultural norms which can stand
on their own merits.While we oppose any special rights or treatment, we
favor equal treatment of the law on issues of joint personal rights and
priveleges.
- Prop 23 (None Of The Above) No Position
At best a weak gesture of disappointment with bad candidates, at worst
an excuse for uninformed voting and civic negligence.
- Prop 24 (Costa/Thomas) Off The Ballot
Legislative paycut and districting didn't fly with the Supreme Court.
CaRLC supports the Fair Vote 2K
Initiative, now circulating petitions to qualify a full ban on
gerrymandering for the November 2000 ballot
- Prop 25 (Unz Campaign Finance) No
Government financing, government control, limits on individual political
expression and a few ideas for campaign disclosure. We'll take freedom.
- Prop 26 (Kill 2/3 Bond Requirement) No
Bonds are almost always bad ideas, but the 2/3 vote requirement should
apply to all government tax and debt increases, federal, state and
local. Those who bear the burden deserve at least this minimal
protection.
- Prop 27 (Cong Term Limits) No
A misguided effort to get citizen legislators', at the expense of
limiting every voter's civic right to pick their own representatives.
Adds ineffectual clutter to ballots.
- Prop 28 (Tobacco Tax Repeal) Yes
Overturns previous Prop 10 taxes. An opportunity to strike a blow
against tax incentives and penalties for social objectives.
- Prop 29 (Gaming Compact) No
Fall-back position from Prop 1A which grants state legislators the power
to negotiate for political benefits.
- Prop 30 (Third Party Liability) No
Trial lawyers favorite money tree: deep pockets. A legal by-pass that
will enrich lawyers at the expense of everyone paying insurance
premiums.
- Prop 31 (More Third Party Liability) No
Won't buy Prop 30? Here's the compromise: Give trial lawyers access to
most deep pockets, but not all.
More details on Propositions and Arguments:
Legislative
Analyst's Office
Secretary
of State's Office
