San Diego June 2018 election - Propositions.
Welp. They are here, folks. The mid-term elections. And in California, we have the distinct privilege of having two of them: The primary and the general. The Primary is around the corner! June 5th, 2018. Put it on your calendar. Do it. Right now. It's important.
Propositions
Proposition 68: Yes
Proposition 69: Yes
Proposition 70: No
Proposition 71: Yes
Proposition 72: Yes
Proposition 68 — Bonds for Environment, Parks and Water
Em's vote: Yes
Borrows 4.1 billion dollars in general obligation bonds to pay for, wildlife conservation, local and regional parks, including creating new parks, flood protection, addressing the possible effects of climate change, and safe drinking water.
Pros: Money for groundwater restoration, wildfire protection, and local parks!
Cons: Hella expensive. Will cost taxpayers ~7.8 billion over 20 years.
Why: Always the environmental sap, still I did look at the numbers on this one. The Cons have some points. General obligation bonds, or state sold municipal bonds, are frequently used for politician's pet projects rather than what the proposition proposes. Opponents argue that the prop doesn't clearly outline what they'll be spending all that money on, and what it does outline doesn't fully cover the costs. There is some truth to those assertions. However, non-profit groups like Nature Conservancy, Save the Redwoods League and The Wildlife Conservancy are throwing their weight behind this prop. Nature Conservancy, and their army of lawyers, has previously rejected seemingly pro-environmental propositions because of the iffy spending outlines. The issues this prop is covering are central to San Diego. Groundwater treatment and restoration, sorely needed wildfire resources, and funds to operate and maintain newly built parks, wilderness, and open-space areas. Park funds would focus on low-income areas, rather than well-established parks (another issue with previous green-space funding initiatives).
It isn't perfect, and yeah, it's expensive. But it's also focused and well detailed. We need money for these efforts because we're still in a drought. Water usage and wildfire protections are vital long-term needs for San Diego. And all areas deserve well-maintained green spaces, not just the ones with higher
Proposition 69 — Transportation Funding
Em's vote: Yes
Ensures extra gas taxes and registration/transportation fees can only be spent on transportation.
Pros: Follows through on the intentions of Senate Bill 1 (SB1) for these extra taxes/fees.
Cons: Doesn't cover all transportation fees, i.e. ones that existed before SB1 was passed.
Why: This is common sense. Let's not muddy the plot by repurposing taxes established outside SB1.
Proposition 70 — Cap-and-Trade Amendment
Em's vote: No
Builds on the preexisting "Cap-and-Trade" program, where companies need to pay for extra permits based on the amount of greenhouse gases they produce. Those moneys enter the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund as part of the annual budget. This amendment would require a 2/3's majority for that fund to be spent while temporarily increasing sales tax on certain types of equipment.
Pros: Most California elected officials would be on the same page to find the most cost-effective and impactful way to fight climate change.
Cons: Most California elected officials would have to be on the same page, first.
Why: This one depresses the hell out of me. This prop was put forward by the California Chamber of Commerce and pretty much every political party and news organization has come out against it. It feels like the intent is to make sure most of our politicians are well-informed about climate change and how to sustain our economy by having nuanced discussions. In response, pretty much every organization has responded: LOL NOPE. This will allow a small group of assholes to hijack progress. They critique that by requiring a 2/3s majority, simply nothing would ever get done.
And honestly, after looking at some of the folks running for office... I get it. It won't take much to get that small group of assholes rolling.
Proposition 71 — Ballot Measure Effective Date
Em's vote: Yes
Ballot measures would go into effect within after all votes have been counted, including all write-ins.
Pros: Everyone's vote counts.
Cons: ?
Why: Common sense again.
Proposition 72 — Taxes for Rainwater Capture
Em's vote: Yes
Property owners and developers would be able to install rainwater capture systems without their property taxes going up. Prop 72 would amend the State Constitution to allow this change
Pros: Helps fight the drought without costing taxpayers extra!
Cons: Legit none!
Why: Seriously, there is no one against this. All are harmonious. If you want to make improvements to your home to help fight the drought, you will not get hit by extra taxes. Get it.
And that's it for props! Stay tuned for the elections!