Partisan number 27

This article was originally published in Partisan issue no. 27, printed April 2009.

1A Budget Limitation - NO
Permanently restricts the ability of the Legislature to spend on needed projects in the future. It extends the time hikes in regressive taxes which should be opposed in any event, will stay in effect. If Proposition 1A passes, forget about expanded health care, decent levels of aid to poor and disabled workers, aid to students faced with ever-increasing college and university costs.

1B Education Repayment Plan - NO
Under Proposition 98, passed in 1988, the public schools and community colleges were supposed to be guaranteed a minimum level of support. But the Legislature has regularly "borrowed" money from the schools to put into the general fund. This is a plan to pay that money back. But it depends on Proposition 1A, because the money would be paid from a fund which it creates. The money will still be owed, regardless of what happens to either 1A or 1B. Tell the Legislature to fund schools through progressive taxation.

1C Lottery Expansion - NO
This is a scheme to borrow money against future State Lottery revenues (and when the state borrows, it pays interest, adding to the cost) and to "modernize" the lottery by expanding it and ending the guarantee that all its revenue go tho the schools. The lottery proceeds come mostly from low-income Californians. Tell the Legislature to fund needs by truly progressive taxation, taxing those who can afford to pay, not conning those who are suckered by pipe dreams.

1D Take Money Away From Children's Services - NO
In spite of the claims by supporters that this measure guarantees funding for children's services, what it really does it take money away from currently-existing services for young children to make them available to politicians at the state and local levels to play games and take money away from services to prop up state and county general funds.

1E Take Funds Away From Mental Health Services - NO
Like Proposition 1D, this scheme takes money away from a voter-approved commitment of funds for mental health services and turns it over to the general fund to pay for other mental health programs, We need expansion, not cutbacks in mental health programs. Reject this "rob Peter to pay Paul" scam and demand that the Legislature do what is needed to fund all of our needs.

1F "We'll Show Them!" Feel-Good Hoax - NO
This is a scam to make you think you're punishing the Legislators by holding back pay increases (it doesn't impose pay cuts or affect their other perks) in order to take your mind off the real problems that keep us from having balanced budgets that serve the needs of the people. Don't be fooled by trickery. End the requirement of a 2/3 vote to pass a budget or taxes, making it possible to adequately fund all of our needs.

And in the Los Angeles area: Special Runoff Election for 26th State Senate District (South L.A., Culver City, etc.)
Support split-roll property tax (assessing corporate and non-residential property at market value while maintaining Proposition 13 protections for homeowners), single payer health care, tax relief for low and middle income Californians, obtaining necessary funds from the wealthy and corporations. Vote for CINDY VARELA HENDERSON.

For a complete analysis of all the Propositions on the May 19, 2008 Special Election ballot, read the articles in issue number 27 of the Partisan, newspaper of the Peace and Freedom Party.