For all the
handwringing about the initiative process, this November will certainly
confirm its intent as a balancing mechanism to the California
Legislature. From the left and the right, from business and labor and
citizens, measures are being placed on the ballot that specifically
address failure by the Legislature.
Voters will have a meaty ballot in
November, with real choices not just among candidates but also among
ballot measures. (The hyperlinked numbers refer to the Attorney
General’s identification system.)
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09-0024.Changes California law to legalize marijuana and allow it to be regulated and taxed.
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09-0027. Transfers the authority to reapportion Congressional districts from
the Legislature to the recently-authorized independent redistricting
commission. -
09-0057. Changes the legislative vote requirement necessary to pass the state
budget from two-thirds to a simple majority and provides that bills
related to the budget are exempt from voter referendum. -
09-0058. Repeals recent legislation that created new tax incentives for
multistate corporations and allows businesses to shift operating losses
to prior tax years. -
09-0063. Prohibits the State from shifting or borrowing tax revenues dedicated
to fund local government services, community redevelopment projects, or
transportation. -
09-0072. Establishes an $18 annual state vehicle license surcharge for support
of state parks, and grants free admission to all state parks to
surcharged vehicles. -
09-0093. Increases legislative vote requirement to two-thirds for state fees,
with limited exceptions, and for certain taxes currently subject to
majority vote. -
09-0104. Suspends State law (AB 32) requiring reduced greenhouse gas emissions
that cause global warming until California’s unemployment rate drops to
5.5 percent or less for four consecutive quarters.
It’s no coincidence that six of the eight measures deal directly with
state budget and tax issues, and a seventh deals with allocation of
political power. Two of the measures can be fairly described as
sponsored by business, two by government employee unions, one by
environmental organizations, one by a coalition of business, private
labor unions and local government, and two by citizens. Let a thousand
flowers bloom!