With the release of our Workers Voters Guide for the 2018 General Election in California, the Peace and Freedom Party also formally announces our endorsements for propositions appearing on the November ballot. PFP endorsements for candidates running in the November 2018 General Election may be seen here.

Eleven propositions will be listed on the November 2018 ballot in California. Prop 9 will not appear on the ballot due to its removal by court decision. The Peace and Freedom Party’s recommendations for voting on these eleven propositions, along with our rationale for recommending such, run below.

The first four propositions listed on the ballot are bond measures. The Peace and Freedom Party generally opposes bond measures, even for good causes, because the system of state bonds is a gimmick to further enrich the rich, and raise the costs of government expenditures, often to well over twice the price that would be paid if these expenditures were paid for from current funds.

Paying for what we need by issuing bonds is a bad deal for working taxpayers because we are really paying for something three times. First, we must pay back the loan (the principle). That is reasonable and to be expected. But second, we must pay the interest on the loan. This can be almost as much again as the loan itself. And third, we are not getting tax payments on the income that the rich investors receive when we pay them the interest. All of that interest income that they receive is untaxed, so there is a lot of potential tax income that the state government is not receiving. This means either higher taxes for the rest of the taxpayers, (you and me), or cutbacks in government services (one reason we can’t fully fund schools, patch potholes, or fix river levees).

Current needs should be funded by a fairer tax structure with higher taxes on the wealthy (the top 1 or 2 percent), and by closing tax loopholes used by the big corporations to avoid paying their fair share. If we need to borrow money for capital improvements (schools, parks, etc.) we should do it in a way that does not further enrich the rich at the expense of working people.

Proposition 1 – Bonds (Housing). NO, for the reasons stated above.

Proposition 2 – Bonds. Use millionaire’s tax revenue for homelessness prevention. YES. These bonds, unlike all the others on this ballot, will be paid for from a special “Millionaire’s Tax” (collected since 2005) on the wealthiest Californians. This existing program, until now without adequate funds, will help care for people with mental difficulties, as housing is a key component in their treatment

Proposition 3 – Bonds (Water, fish, wildlife, dams, etc.). NO, for the reasons stated above.

Proposition 4 – Bonds (Hospital construction). NO, for the reasons stated above.

Proposition 5 – Property tax transfer. NO. Presently, seniors and severely disabled people may sell their Proposition 13 tax protected homes and keep the tax benefits if they move to a home of equal or lesser value in the same county. This proposition, pushed by the big real estate firms, would allow the home to be of greater value, and located in any county. This is a boon to the wealthiest Californians, who could enjoy reduced taxes on mansions or estates anywhere in the state, and to the big real estate firms, that would be able to sell very expensive houses more easily. It would reduce tax revenue by up to $2 billion, that the rest of us would have to make up. Vote NO. No more tax giveaways to the wealthy, no more unearned windfalls to the real estate corporations.

Proposition 6 – To gut our transportation system. NO. The reduction of gas and vehicle taxes has some appeal, but this sneaky proposition would seriously cut back on needed road repairs now going on, and make future repairs harder to finance. Do you really want to continue driving on bad roads and unsafe bridges? This proposition will take us back by eliminating existing money for roads, highways, and public transportation, and eliminate thousands of current and future jobs. Right-wing opportunists put this on the ballot in an effort to help Trump supporters win in California, and we urge you to oppose this measure to help Trump as we dodge potholes.

Proposition 7 – Daylight savings. We take no position on this measure, which would allow some future legislature to modify daylight savings time if federal law is ever changed to permit it.

Proposition 8 – Regulates amounts kidney dialysis clinics charge. YES. This would rein in the brutal price jumps seen recently at kidney dialysis clinics. Lack of supply has permitted unscrupulous providers to charge extortionate prices. There ought to be a law against this, and this is that law.

Proposition 9 – (Removed from ballot.)

Proposition 10 – Expands local governments’ authority to enact rent control. YES YES YES! Rent control was blocked at the state level by the Costa-Hawkins bill back in 1995, and rents have skyrocketed since then. This initiative would again allow cities and counties to use rent control to keep housing prices down and help keep working people from being priced out of cities as presently happens.

Proposition 11 – To deny breaks to private ambulance workers. NO. This greedy attempt to change the law would permit private ambulance companies to force their staff to work through their meal and rest breaks. This is bad for workers and bad for patients. Please vote NO on 11.

Proposition 12 – New standards for confinement of farm animals. YES. This proposed law would make improvements in the existing law that requires that farm animals have room to move.