Free Republic

Even in the best of times, the three major bond proposals on the November ballot would merit a thumbs down. Propositions 1A, 3, and 10 would put taxpayers another $16 billion in debt to fund some dubious projects. Proposition 1A spends $10 billion as a down payment on a massive bullet train project. Promoters, which includes the company responsible for Boston's infamous "Big Dig" disaster, claim the project can be completed for about $50 billion. However, a just released study by transportations experts, which includes a former president of the High Speed Rail Association and a former member of the...

Since Arizona’s local law enforcement began enforcing illegal immigration laws and an employer sanctions law went into effect, illegal immigrants have been fleeing the state in large numbers. The effects have been far-ranging. Commuters are reporting fewer vehicles on the freeways, shortening their rush-hour commutes. What had become a serious transportation problem in Arizona is losing its urgency. English Learner Language (ELL) students started dropping out of school. This helped end a confrontation between the state legislature and a liberal federal judge who had ordered the state to spend more money on ELL classes. Fewer illegal immigrants are using hospital...

Proposition 91– Yes (This more firmly dedicates gasoline sales taxes to transportation projects.) Proposition 92 – No (This is "ballot box budgeting" at its worst. It would irresponsibly reduce community college tuition, regardless of need, while permanently increasing taxpayer subsidies.) Proposition 93 – No! (This is phony term limits reform designed to keep Democrat leaders in office longer. Whether you support term limits or hate them, this proposition is a fraud and it should be defeated.) Proposition 94 - Yes (The referendum would ratify the compact with the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians. Indian gaming has been terrible for...

A staggering amount of money is being spent to persuade state voters to ratify four Indian gambling deals. If approved, Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 would authorize 17,000 more slot machines for four of the state's wealthiest gambling tribes. The deals would catapult California into the gambling big leagues, well beyond the modest increase voters were promised when they first authorized Nevada-style gambling for tribes in 1998. This page has consistently opposed the expansion of gambling, beginning with the state lottery. We oppose the new gambling deals contained in these referendum initiatives, too. Gambling is the wrong way to...

Poll: California voters still like the power they have at the ballot box, express optimism for bipartisanship in Sacramento (full title) A new PPIC poll finds that 69 percent of the voters who participated in the Nov. 7 election are satisfied with the initiative process. This despite the fact that the ballot contained 13 measures * Immigration is rated the top issue (20 percent of voters), followed by the economy (14 percent) and education (13 percent) * Fifty-eight percent of voters surveyed say they expect the governor and Legislature will be able to work together to accomplish a lot next...

The Nov. 7 general election will offer a glimpse into Arizonans' attitudes toward illegal immigrants in their midst. The ballot includes a trio of questions aimed at denying rights or services to those here illegally. Should they be allowed to take adult-education classes at community colleges? Or be given in-state tuition at colleges and universities? Or be eligible for state child-care assistance? Proposition 300 would deny them all those services. Another proposal, Proposition 100, would deny bail to illegal immigrants who commit serious felonies, while Proposition 102 would prohibit them from getting punitive damages in civil lawsuits. These are put...

Do you live in a Mobile Home Park and rent a mobile home? Do you want your rent gauging stopped? Did you know that Rent Control Ordinances and the Mobile Home Residency Law could be lost if the initiative passes.We the people that live in Mobile Home Parks must all unite and defeat Proposition 90. If we do not defeat Proposition 90, we the owners of our Mobile Homes are in a world of trouble.We could lose our homes.For more information on Proposition 90 - Go to Californians Against the Taxpayer Trap =>http://noprop90.com/facts/There will not be any rent control and...

McClintock Reviews the November Ballot Propositions General Election - November 7, 2006 Prop. 1A Transportation Funding Protection:  YES!  For years, the Legislature has raided our highway taxes for general fund spending.  Though it’s more window dressing than relief, this measure makes it marginally harder to do so. Prop. 1B Transportation Bond:  NO!  Although some of this money is for long overdue road construction, most goes for equipment, maintenance and social programs that will be obsolete decades before our children have finished paying off the debt.  Californians pay the third highest tax per gallon of gasoline in the country –...

SACRAMENTO — California's top elections official Thursday said he has a remedy for voters who say they are sick of being propositioned endlessly by everyone from governors to masked interests, using everything from twisted ads to flurries of fliers. Secretary of State Bruce McPherson and lawmakers, backed by the League of Women Voters, pitched a bipartisan package of initiative-revamp bills that would let the Legislature adopt a proposition, avoiding a nasty, costly campaign. McPherson said at a Capitol news conference that the legislation would "provide greater access for all Californians, strengthen the integrity of the initiative process and result in...

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, right, celebrates with State Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks in Irwindale, Calif., during his special election campaign bus tour of southern California, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2005.

NO side leads YES side on all four of the propositions backed by Governor Schwarzenegger.

MIDI - LOOK FOR THE SILVER LINING la la la la la la la la la...la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la When our leftists pals need help...we show up in force Do we turn to vi-o-lence? Well, yes we do, of course We will stand united 'cause united we will win the day So look for the union goon squads...we'll always be there for DemocRATS Your propositions have us out screaming...you'll take a reeming...that's that From a fist, your lip is fat So look for the union goon squads...our...

Gay Rights, Teen Abortion Among Issues Facing Voters in Ballot Measures in Seven States As is often the case, California has the most intriguing mix of propositions including four backed by Schwarzenegger, the Republican governor, to curb the power of the Democratic-controlled Legislature and the state's public employee unions. Another measure, notable in a state with liberal leanings, would require parents to be notified when a minor seeks an abortion. Texas voters are expected to approve a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriages a step already taken in 18 other states. In Maine, a conservative alliance is urging voters to...

All those polling numbers about ballot initiatives got you feeling dazed and confused? You're not alone. With the conflicting numbers shown in recent public opinion polls, many voters must be wondering just what is going on. Check out one poll on Proposition 76, a state spending-cap proposal, and it appears that 58 percent of voters support the initiative while 36 percent oppose it. Check out another poll and it appears that just the opposite is true, with 19 percent saying they support the measure and 65 percent saying they oppose it. Another recent poll shows similar numbers, with 63 percent...

[1] Proposition 73: Parental Notification Termination of minor's pregnancy. Waiting Period and Parental Notification. Initiative Constitutional Amendment Survey USA (10/15-17) Yes 60% No 38% Und 2% Spread +22 [2] Proposition 74: Public School Teachers Tenure Public School Teachers. Waiting Period for Permanent Status. Dismissal. Initiative Statute Survey USA (10/15-17) Yes 53% No 45% Und 1% Spread +8 [3] Proposition 75: Union Dues -- Political Contributions Public Employee Union Dues. Required Employee Consent for Political Contributions. Initiative Statute Survey USA (10/15-17) Yes 56% No 42% Und 2% Spread +14

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will answer questions about his special election initiatives during a voter forum Monday night in Walnut Creek. The Contra Costa Times newspaper and KTVU Channel 2 News are sponsoring the event. DATE: Monday, Oct. 24 TIME: 6 p.m. HOSTED BY: KTVU Channel 2 News of Oakland and the Contra Costa Times of Walnut Creek. AIRS ON: KTVU Channel 2 and KQED-FM radio, both in the San Francisco Bay area. The program also will be webcast live on http://www.ktvu.com and the Contra Costa Times website, http://www.cctimes.com DURATION: 90 minutes, to be broadcast live and commercial-free. LOCATION: Dean Lesher...

All 5 CA Ballot Propositions Still Leading ... But 3 Are Narrowing: In an election today, 10/18/05, 3 weeks to the 11/8/05 vote, California voters approve Proposition 73, Proposition 74, Proposition 75, Proposition 76 and Proposition 77, according to an exclusive SurveyUSA poll of 613 likely voters. Proposition 73, on parental notification for abortions on minors, passes by 22 points. In an identical SurveyUSA poll 2 weeks ago, Proposition 73 passed by 20 points. Proposition 74, on teacher tenure, passes by 8 points today. 2 weeks ago, it passed by 11 points. Propositions 75, 76, and 77 have lost support:...

SACRAMENTO -- Delegates to the California League of Cities voted by a narrow margin to support Proposition 76, the "Live Within our Means Act" sponsored by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The 135-124 vote came Saturday during the final hours of the League's annual three-day conference in San Francisco. Victorville Mayor Mike Rothschild, who attended the conference and lobbied other cities to support the issue, said the vote was difficult to pass because League delegates were "almost divided on staying neutral." "There were 486 voting members. We had to work very hard to get their support, " Rothschild said. "By the last...

Sen. McCain campaigns for Schwarzenegger initiatives Tuesday, October 11, 2005; Posted: 3:57 p.m. EDT (19:57 GMT) BURBANK, California (AP) -- With his popularity at an all-time low, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger turned Monday to Republican Sen. John McCain to help sell his November ballot proposals to a skeptical public. In appearances with the governor in Burbank and Oakland, the Arizona senator urged California voters to support the four initiatives backed by Schwarzenegger on the special election ballot. "I have campaigned for reform efforts all over the country," McCain said. "What happens in California has significant effect in states like mine...

Last January, with his popularity apparently invincible, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced plans for a special election this year to give Californians a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put sense into the state's budget and reform its political culture. One of his proposals was to put the state's expensive public employee pension program under the same reform microscope corporate pensions had been undergoing. He underestimated the response. In San Francisco to give a speech, Schwarzenegger found the hotel surrounded by angry firefighters, nurses and teachers, all denouncing him. Since these groups, generically, are held in high esteem by the public, Schwarzenegger soon pulled...

The Republican governor is pitching Proposition 76, which he calls the "Live Within Our Means Act," as the best way out of California's chronic deficits. But voters appear to lose interest when they learn of the sacrifices that will be needed to allow the state to truly live within its means. The measure makes clear that it can't be done without limiting spending on the education and healthcare programs that account for more than three-quarters of the state's general fund. "Voters like the idea of government living within its means," said Mark Baldassare, director of research for the Public Policy...

SAN FRANCISCO - Employing fiery rhetoric warning of fiscal thievery by state lawmakers, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday implored a reluctant organization representing 478 California cities to endorse a ballot initiative to give him enhanced powers to shape the state budget. Appearing at the League of California Cities' annual conference, the Republican governor told a crowd of mayors, city council members and other local officials that they are in danger of future seizures of local tax revenues by state lawmakers if voters don't pass Proposition 76 in the Nov. 8 special election. Sell It Yourself The league's board of directors...

Unions face tough fight on Prop. 75 SACRAMENTO - As they mobilize to defeat a ballot measure that could sharply limit their political activities, unions are finding one of their toughest jobs is persuading their own members to oppose it. Proposition 75 on the Nov. 8 special-election ballot would prohibit public-employee unions from using dues for political purposes without written consent from members. -snip- Close Race The union survey by San Francisco pollster David Binder sampled 777 AFL-CIO-affiliated union members. Initially, they split 47 percent in favor of the measure to 46 percent against. After being told that unions were...

In January, the governor issued a challenge to the Legislature's Democrats: change how you do business, or I will change it for you. The Democrats yawned. They were sure that Schwarzenegger would cave. The Democrats had been in charge before he got there, and they would be in charge long after he was gone. But a funny thing happened: Schwarzenegger didn't cave. How could that be, they asked, since he knows we are in charge. Schwarzenegger said: Tough: change is necessary. He said he would qualify initiatives, call a special election, and get the people to bring about change. The...

The prospect of a disastrous special election—and a rival from Tinseltown IS THE Gubernator about to suffer political humiliation? On November 8th, California's voters will be summoned to a special election—and, if the opinion polls are right, they will rebuff most, if not all, of the ballot initiatives Arnold Schwarzenegger deems essential for his “year of reform”. Mr Schwarzenegger launched his campaign in January as an admirably bold bid to fix California's budgeting system. This is a mess thanks to two things: spending increases mandated by the voters; and a legislative stalemate between a Democratic majority that wants to protect...

Revving up his campaign to reclaim the political initiative in California, Governor Schwarzenegger addressed a bipartisan crowd of 1,000 people at the Orange County Forum on September 26. In his prepared remarks, he urged the crowd to support his four reform measures on the November 8 special election, Propositions 74 through 77. He then detailed why Prop. 76, the Budget Reform initiative, was deserving of support, specifically countering the false claims made by the union-sponsored attack ads. He asserted that two-thirds of the governors in America have similar powers to reduce spending in line with revenue if the legislature refuses...

I've been getting calls about the various ballot propositions for the Special Election. Here's how I see them: Proposition 73: Parental Notification for Abortion. If parental consent is required for a child to use a tanning booth or get her ears pierced, shouldn’t parents at least be notified if she’s getting an abortion? YES. Whether you’re pro-life or pro-choice, this should be the all-time no-brainer. Proposition 74: Teacher Tenure. Do parents have a right to expect a higher level of competence before a teacher is granted life-time tenure? YES. This modest measure simply increases the teacher probation period from two...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California voters are showing little enthusiasm for two of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's three special election proposals, according to a poll that also reveals continuing discontent with the governor's job performance. The Public Policy Institute of California poll, released Thursday, is the latest in recent months to indicate the governor faces a tough task persuading voters to approve his slate of initiatives on Nov. 8. Voters said they are increasingly disenchanted with Schwarzenegger's performance, with just 34 percent saying they approve of the job he's doing. More than half also viewed the Legislature with disapproval. "What this...

SACRAMENTO -- A state Web site Tuesday reported a come-from-behind victory for the Nov. 2 ballot measure that requires large and midsize employers to help pay for employee health insurance, but officials said the results were probably in error. Caren Daniels-Meade, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office, said one of the counties reporting late vote totals probably reversed its results. "It's been known to happen," she said. Proposition 72 was trailing 51 percent to 49 percent on election night, but the secretary of state's Web site late Tuesday listed the final results as 50.5 percent for the measure...

Late ballots appear to make measure requiring health insurance coverage a winner. But a clerical error may be responsible, officials say. SACRAMENTO — The fate of a statewide proposition mandating health insurance coverage — assumed to have been defeated in the Nov. 2 election — was thrown into confusion Tuesday night after the secretary of state's office reported that late-counted ballots had given Proposition 72 a narrow margin of victory. But state elections officials, who had posted the results on the secretary of state's website after the close of business Tuesday, removed them a few hours later, fearing that a...

Proposition - 1A Local Revenue Protection - California 23970 of 24039 Precincts Reporting Name Votes PctYes 7,553,353 83.47 No 1,495,631 16.53 Proposition - 59 Open Records - California 23995 of 24039 Precincts Reporting Name Votes PctYes 7,481,528 83.09 No 1,522,176 16.91 Proposition - 60 Party Primary - California 23986 of 24039 Precincts Reporting Name Votes PctYes 5,800,107 67.23 No 2,826,602 32.77 Proposition - 60A Surplus Property Sales - California 23995 of 24039 Precincts Reporting Name Votes PctYes 6,214,634 72.78 No 2,324,045 27.22 Proposition - 61 Bonds for Children's Hospital - California 23995 of 24039 Precincts Reporting Name Votes PctYes 5,312,691...

A so-called Republican mailer I received ("Continuing the Republican Revolution") recommends a "Yes" on Propsition 71, the embryonic stem cell research initiative, so I'm a bit dubious at what they recommend. Another mailer from McClintock has been misplaced. Please help.

LOS ANGELES – It's the stem cell embryonic three strikes open government closed primary DNA children's hospitals Indian gambling 911 shakedown lawsuits mental health election. Confused? So are a lot of voters. Choosing a president is easy this year - pick red or blue. But Californians are facing a catalog of ballot questions so challenging - 16 in all, more than any other state - that almost everyone at one early voting location was clutching a cheat sheet to keep the numbers and issues straight. "I find it incredibly confusing, and I'm resentful," said Los Angeles artist Shelley Adler, who...

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Fresh off a high-profile campaign trip to Ohio for President Bush, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger returned to California for a final weekend of campaigning before Tuesday's election. The governor began a two-day bus tour of the state Saturday by speaking out about several of the 16 initiatives on the California ballot. He drew some of the most emotional responses when criticizing Proposition 66, an initiative that seeks to amend the state's "three-strikes" sentencing law. Critics of the initiative said it would allow thousands of violent offenders to be freed from the state prison system. "Proposition 66 is...

I am preparing my absentee ballot and have no idea who to pick on the Superior Court vacancies, and a number of the propositions. Any Freepers out there have this stuff figured out? Please advise.

McClintock on the Propositions I've been getting a lot of calls about the various ballot propositions. Here's how I see them: 1A. Watered Down Protection for Local Governments. YES, I suppose. Extends limited protection to local governments against future raids by the state AFTER the state finishes ripping off another $2.6 billion over the next two years. I support it because the protections are a slight improvement over existing law, but if you really want to protect local governments, Prop. 65 is the ticket. 59. Public Records, Open Meetings. YES. Louis Brandeis said it best: "Sunlight is the best of...

With just a few weeks to go, does anyone have an idea of what is on the ballot in California this November and who is supporting what, etc? Here's a chance to help put the info out there in a centralized apporach. I am going to kick it this thread with a bunch of stuff from all over the place. No particular order in posting need be followed. The Bakersfield Californian is running a number of pieces this morning that I am posting to start the thread

<p>Occasionally - once every decade or two - powerful California political currents merge to create a whirlpool of intersecting conflicts that force voters to make some truly fundamental decisions about the society in which they live.</p> <p>This year may be one of those events. Having made the historic, even risky, choice to oust an incumbent governor and elect an untried novice - a famous actor to boot - as his successor, California voters may now face a stunning array of ballot measures.</p>

<p>The mall was packed and loud, but Pat Laski hardly noticed. Her governor was late, and she was not pleased. After all, he had called, in a recording, to tell her to turn up at noon at the Valley Plaza in Bakersfield for a rally.</p>

<p>SACRAMENTO – With less than two weeks until the election, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's "fiscal-recovery" bond is within striking distance of winning - or losing.</p> <p>The biggest wild card: whether enough voters know that the $15 billion bond-borrowing measure, Proposition 57, and its companion "Balanced Budget Act,'' Proposition 58, are part of Schwarzenegger's grand scheme return California to fiscal health.</p>

<p>Last in a series of stories on the March 2 ballot propositions.</p> <p>It's the other bond measure on the March 2 ballot: Proposition 55 would authorize $12.3 billion for construction of school buildings to relieve overcrowding and repair existing facilities.</p>

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday night promised 1,200 civic and business leaders to work "like a machine" until two propositions to close California's budget deficit were approved by voters. "You know I'm like a machine. I won't stop talking until we get this done," said Schwarzenegger, standing before a backdrop of images of palm trees at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Schwarzenegger likened Propositions 57 and 58 to treatment for spending addicts. The proposals call for $15 billion in bonds to help balance the state's budget and for a constitutional amendment prohibiting such borrowing in the...

<p>Schwarzenegger: "To resolve our fiscal crisis, the Legislature placed two measures on the ballot that comprise a bipartisan balanced budget plan." Westly: "Proposition 57 will refinance past deficit borrowing with lower annual interest payments."</p> <p>Schwarzenegger: "Prop. 58 requires a balanced budget every year without borrowing, so that we never get into this mess again."</p>