CA: Our ballot (OC Register Says No NO NO NO!!!)

OC Register ^ | 3/1/04 | OC Register

[NormsRevenge]

The following is a summary of the Register's positions on the state and local measures on the March 2 ballot.

Proposition 55: No. It would float $12.3 billion in bonds to upgrade and build new classrooms for K-12 schools, the community colleges and the Cal State and UC systems. It's more debt, costing about $823 million a year to pay off over 30 years, for a state that can't balance its budget now.

[NormsRevenge]

I'm sure home schoolers are thrilled to see more big dollar bonds on the ballot, it's all "for the children", yaknow. :-\

[TheDon]

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[NormsRevenge]

Here's a little blurb from the ""mean-spirited"" OC Register. ;-)

A commitment to our readers

Editorial director's note: This editorial first appeared in these columns Feb. 18, 2002, but we thought it appropriate to publish it again today, on the eve of the California primary in a national election year.

This is, as you may have noticed by now, an election year. So as part of forwarding our editorial vision - and fulfilling our commitment to readers - we will be covering and commenting on both the primary and the general election in November. But we'll do it from what we hope is a unique perspective.

We try not to make it a secret that our purpose in writing editorials is to promote our values, which include individual liberty, respect for important individual rights, a society that emphasizes voluntary associations and relationships expressed through institutions like free and open markets, opportunity for all and the right of people to use what they have produced through honest labor and transactions for their own and their families' purposes.

We believe human beings are ends in themselves, not means to be used for the ends of others, each one possessing certain rights and a personal dignity that is to be respected by others.

A society of free and independent individuals cannot be imposed from the top down. It begins in the heart and mind of each person, as he or she decides to accept the responsibilities that go with freedom, exercise the rights God or nature has given us, learn what liberty means and respect the equal rights of others.

Electoral politics is only a small part of this social calculus, and one of our goals is to reduce the role of politics in American life. But politics and elections are important, and people who would be free neglect them at their peril.

Because we do not think freedom can be bestowed upon us by politicians - even if they wanted to, which few do - we do not endorse candidates. Political candidates are human beings and their performance cannot be predicted. But we do pay attention to them, talk to them, explore their understanding of the importance of human liberty and write about them as honestly as we know how. We hope we ask them questions few others in the media will think to ask - and we'll try to remain open to suggestions from readers about questions you would like us to ask.

We do take positions on ballot measures and bond issues. Ballot measures change laws with definable words. While there are always unintended consequences and courts can sometimes be unpredictable, initiatives seldom become the opposite of what they were. Bonds are commitments to borrow and repay money, usually from tax revenues.

Initiatives and bonds have consequences that can be foreseen with some degree of accuracy. We'll study them and take positions consistent with what we believe are the long-term interests of a freer society. Readers are welcome to give them whatever weight is appropriate. The important thing for us is to have our say and contribute to a process of thoughtful analysis.

This should be an interesting election year. ... It's an election in a time of war, when it is all the more important - and at the same time more difficult - to raise intelligent concerns about the course of national policy.

We will try to nudge the process in the direction of building liberty and help readers to make up their own minds. Please let us know how we're doing and feel free to offer suggestions along the way.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Measure E: Yes. It would change Huntington Beach's seven at-large council seats to five district-based seats, making council members pay attention to the individual needs of their own neighborhoods.

I was wondering what that was yesterday while driving down PCH and seeing the flyers posted everywhere!

[NormsRevenge]

from at-large to district-based, huh? hmm.. good luck .. 2 less hogs at the trough, I reckun :-)

I can't believe Buena Park wants to ban fireworks. I guess DisneyLand would get a waiver,, or are they the reason this is on the ballot?

[kellynla]

KNOCKOUT BOXER! VOTE 4 KALOOGIAN!
http://www.howardforsenate.com

VOTE "NO" ON PROOSITIONS 55,56,57 & 58!
http://www.noblankchecks.com

VOTE 4 DORNAN!
http://www.bobdornan.com

[kellynla]

oops! LOL
obviously a typo.LOL PROOSITIONS = "NO" PROPOSITIONS 55,56,57 &58!

[kellynla]

"I can't believe Buena Park wants to ban fireworks. I guess DisneyLand would get a waiver,, or are they the reason this is on the ballot?" fires...one by one the cities are banning fireworks...just too much of a fire hazard...Disney is in Anaheim and of course they will never force Disney to ban fireworks...that would be almost un-American! LOL

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I can't believe Buena Park wants to ban fireworks.

Knoot's Berry Farm is in Buena Park, Disney is in Anaheim.

Not sure what the motivation is other than they are a definite hazard anywhere in the southland in the dry season which starts soon!

[NormsRevenge]

Sounds good to me.

So how is B1-Bob Doing .. how close can he make it?

[NormsRevenge]

Knott's Berry Farm.. oh man,, I remember eating at the farmhouse restaurant.. now I'm drooling over the thought of the chicken and mashed potaties and gravy and the apple pie for dessert. Love their jam too. :-)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

When relatives come to town Knott's was always a must place to go for the great food!

Not as good as Stevenson's Apple Orchard in East Kansas City though!

[Veggie Todd]

Didn't a kid get shot last year at a park where people were gathered to shot fireworks? Or am I thinking of somewhere else?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Don't know.

[hedgetrimmer]

I would like to see a proposition that requires that whenever you receive a tax bill that includes a bond payment, like for a school bond, that your bill has to show you when the bond is due to be paid off.

For example, a local community college has 4 bonds they are collecting money to pay, its $200 here, $54 there, it adds up. I think that for every bond it should say $200-- bond will be paid off in 28 years. So people know on their tax bills they are going to be indebted for a very long time.

What do you think? Is there a way to get a proposition like this on the ballot?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Do you mean specifically in Buena Park?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

What do you think? Is there a way to get a proposition like this on the ballot?

Sounds like a good idea, I would like to know. I have no idea how to cause that to happen, the bureaucrats will be sure to tell us that to change all of the equipment to effect such a change will be very costly, of course!

[NormsRevenge]

good idea..

not sure how readily one could convince politicians to support that tho..

it should be doable.. and would be noticed as you mention.

If they can reprogram the DMV computers to pay back excessive fees(still haven't got our rebates yet), it might make their databases grow a bit but.. worth knowing and showing.

[Veggie Todd]

Yes. I thought there was a shooting and they blamed it on the fireworks.