Your Government, Your Vote: K-12 education, taxes, and the state initiatives

With the November election coming up soon, this is your chance to learn about critical state and local level issues:

  • Does it seem like every year you are voting for another school parcel tax or school bond, but not sure how they actually benefit your kid’s education?
  • Or that every year we seem to have yet another state budget crisis?
  • Did you know that we have 12 state initiatives this November? And that if approved, they will collectively issue another $15 billion in state bonds?

Come join us on October 19 for informative presentations and discussions about the issues you should know for the November election. We'll cover K-12 education budget and governnance, our state budget, and the 12 state initiatives. Learn more.

Prop 12: Veterans’ Bond Act of 2008.

5 September, 2008 (00:03) | Proposition 12, State Initiatives | By: admin

This act provides for a bond issue of nine hundred million dollars ($900,000,000) to provide farm and home aid for California veterans. Fiscal Impact: Costs of about Sl.8 billion to payoff both the principal ($900 million) and interest ($856 million) on the bonds; costs paid by participating veterans. Average payment forprincipal and interest of about $59 million per year for 30 years.

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Prop 11: Redistricting. Constitutional Amendment and Statute.

3 September, 2008 (20:07) | Proposition 11, State Initiatives | By: admin

Creates 14-member redistricting commission responsible for drawing new district lines for State Senate, Assembly, and Board of Equalization districts. Requires State Auditor to randomly select commission members from voter applicant pool to create a commission with five members from each of the two largest political parties, and four members unaffiliated with either political party. Requires nine votes to approve final district maps. Establishes standards for drawing new lines, including respecting the geographic integrity of neighborhoods and encouraging geographic compactness. Permits State Legislature to draw lines for congressional districts subject to these standards. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Probably no significant increase in state redistricting costs.

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Prop 10: Bonds. Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy. Statute.

3 September, 2008 (20:06) | Proposition 10, State Initiatives | By: admin

Authorizes $5 billion in bonds paid from state’s General Fund, allocated approximately as follows: 58% in cash payments of between $2,000 and $50,000 to purchasers of certain high fuel economy and alternative fuel vehicles; 20% in incentives for research, development and production of renewable energy technology; 11% in incentives for research and development of alternative fuel vehicle technology; 5% in incentives for purchase of renewable energy technology; 4% in grants to eight cities for education about these technologies; and 3% in grants to colleges to train students in these technologies. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: State costs of about $9.8 billion over 30 years to pay both the principal ($5 billion) and interest ($4.8 billion) costs on the bond. Payments of about $325 million per year. Increase in state sales tax revenues of an unknown amount, potentially totaling in the tens of millions of dollars, over the period from 2009 to beyond 2018. Increase in local sales tax and VLF revenues of an unknown amount, potentially totaling in the tens of millions of dollars, over the period from 2009 to about 2018-19. Potential state costs of up to about $10 million annually, through about 2018 -19, for state agency administrative costs not funded by the measure.

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Prop 9: Criminal Justice System. Victims’ Rights. Parole. Constitutional Amendment and Statute.

3 September, 2008 (20:05) | Proposition 9, State Initiatives | By: admin

Requires notification to victim and opportunity for input during phases of criminal justice process, including bail, pleas, sentencing and parole. Establishes victim safety as consideration in determining bail or release on parole. Increases the number of people permitted to attend and testify on behalf of victims at parole hearings. Reduces the number of parole hearings to which prisoners are entitled. Requires that victims receive written notification of their constitutional rights. Establishes timelines and procedures concerning parole revocation hearings. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Unknown potential increases in state prison and county jail operating costs due to provisions restricting early release of inmates. To the extent that any such costs were incurred, they could collectively amount to hundreds of millions of dollars annually. A potential net savings in the low tens of millions of dollars for the administration of parole reviews and revocations if the changes related to parole revocation procedures were not overturned by potential legal challenges.

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Prop 8: Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.

3 September, 2008 (20:04) | Proposition 8, State Initiatives | By: admin

Amends the California Constitution to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: The measure would have no fiscal effect on state or local governments. This is because there would be no change to the manner in which marriages are currently recognized by the state.

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