Plenty of propositions on ballot

November election to have 12 measures

The deadline has passed for the requirements to be met for propositions to be placed on the November ballot in California.

Californians rose to the challenge in meeting that deadline as no less than 12 statewide ballot measures will be consider by voters in California’s November election.

Eight of the propositions are on the ballot thanks to special interest groups collecting enough signatures. The other four were added by the State Legislature as each propose to amend the state Constitution.

The one measure that will likely be the most fought over is an attempt to partially roll back one of California’s most famous propositions in history, Proposition 13 that significantly cut property taxes in the state in a tax revolt in 1978. But there are those in California who now say that proposition has gone too far and are looking for the requirements of Proposition 13 to be rolled back in November as far as what property taxes have to be paid by some businesses and industries.

Proposition 15 would raise commercial property taxes on some businesses and industry. The measure would create a new set of rules in which the caps on raising property taxes would be removed and would be based on marketrate values for commercial and industrial properties. The change would be phased in over three years.

Proponents of the measure say it’s designed to provide more funding for schools and health care. Proponents also say mostly wealthy businesses would be affected, stating only six percent of businesses would pay 78 percent of the taxes.

One nonpartisan analysis said the measure would raise $12.5 billion a year. Democratic-leaning groups such as organized labor and those in edu

cation support the measure. No surprising businesses are opposed. The fight over this measure promises to be bitter — and expensive.

Other propositions are the November ballot are:

Proposition 14: Would provide more borrowing to finance stem cell research. It’s been 16 years since Californians approved borrowing $3 billion for stem cell research and that money is almost gone. Proposition 14 would issue $5.5 billion in bonds for stem cell research.

Proposition 16: This could be another controversial measure as it would restore affirmative action in how the state awards contracts and how students are selected for college. Affirmative action was outlawed in the state in 1996.

Proposition 17: Would allow those released on parole to vote.

Proposition 18: Would allow 17-yearolds to vote in primary elections if they turn 18 by the general election. As an example, 17-year-olds would have been allowed to vote in the March primary election if they turned 18 by the November election.

Proposition 19: This is a proposition that deals with property tax breaks. California homeowners 55 and older would keep their property tax payment the same even if they buy a new home. The measure is designed to encourage older residents to buy homes. Older homeowners who lose their home to a wildfire would also have their property tax break exapnded.

But the measure also cracks down on parents who transfer their home to their children. This is designed to crack down on wealthy homeowners and narrows the tax break to homes being lived in by the owner. It’s expected this part of the measure would generate revenue that would go to firefighting efforts.

Proposition 20: California has made efforts in recent years to reduce the punishments for some crimes. This proposition would put back in place some of those punishments that were reduced. The proposition would place new limits on some of the sentence reductions that have happened in the state.

Proposition 21: This could be another hotly contested proposition as it’s a response to the state’s efforts to institute rent control. The proposition would place some limits on caps that local governments can place on rent increases.

Proposition 22: This proposition is on another issue that has gain a lot of attention as it’s designed to roll back Assembly Bill 5, which required many independent contractors in the state to be designated as employees. The proposition is for the “gig economy” and compains such as Uber and Lyft to give them more flexibility as far as how their drivers would be designated. In short, Uber and Lyft drivers would be designated as independent contractors.

Proposition 23: This proposition is designed to provide more oversight to kidney dialysis clinics.

Proposition 24: Another hot top issue, new consumer privacy rules went into effect in California on

Proposition 25: Another one of the numerous hot topics on the ballot. This proposition is a referendum on the 2018 law passed that would abolish cash bail.

In a nutshell, the law would work like this: No longer could cash be offered to those who can’t pay for early released. Judges would be given wide discretion on who can be released prior to trial. Defendents deemed to be a danger to society would be held in “preventive detention.”

A yes vote would approve the law and end cash bail. A no vote would keep the cash bail system as it is.