The 17 Propositions On The Ballot In California This Year
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

The 17 Propositions On The Ballot In California This Year

Learn about what you're voting on to have an educated say on the direction of California.

9
The 17 Propositions On The Ballot In California This Year
The Voting Project

California is known for having many propositions on our ballots, and this year we have 17. With the election right around the corner, here are all the propositions that Californians will see on the ballot on November 8th.

Prop 51: School Construction

"Prop. 51 authorizes $9 billion in bonds to build new schools and modernize existing ones. Most of the money would be for K-12 schools, with about $2 billion for community colleges. Borrowing the $9 billion would cost the state an extra $8.6 billion in interest. The state would likely pay off the debt over 35 years, at a cost of about $500 million a year. " -- CALmatters

Governor Jerry Brown is in opposition of this proposition, while the California Parent Teacher Association is in favor of it.

Prop 52: Hospital Fees

"Extends indefinitely an existing statute that imposes fees on hospitals to fund Medi-Cal health care services, care for uninsured patients, and children’s health coverage. Fiscal Impact: Uncertain fiscal effect, ranging from relatively little impact to annual state General Fund savings of around $1 billion and increased funding for public hospitals in the low hundreds of millions of dollars annually. " -- Official Voter Information Guide

The California Hospital Association is sponsoring Proposition 52 and is one of three measures on the ballot that will boost Medi-Cal funding .

Prop 53: Revenue Bonds

This proposition would affect Governor Brown's two infrastructure projects by requiring voter approval before any revenue bond over $2 billion can be issued for state-mandated projects by California. The high-speed rail system from San Francisco to LA, and a pair of huge tunnels in the Delta to move water from NorCal to SoCal are the two projects that would require a revenue bond over $2 billion.

Prop 55: High-earner Tax for Education and Healthcare Revenue

" Californians voted to increase taxes on the state’s wealthiest earners in 2012, seeking to replenish education funding accounts depleted during the recession. Four years later, the economy is recovering, and the tax increase is slated to end after 2018. Education and health care advocates argue Californians can’t afford to lose the revenues from the high-earner income tax. " -- CALmatters

This tax would only affect individuals who make over $250,000 a year or couples who make $500,000 a year. The money would go to mostly go to K-12 funding, and the remaining would be for community colleges and low-income health care programs.

Prop 56: Tobacco Tax

This tax would only affect people who buy cigarettes. There hasn't been an increase in tobacco taxes since the early 90's in CA. The revenue from the tax would go to MediCal, preventing kids from smoking, and research on cancer and smoking related diseases. California's 87 cent tobacco tax is low compared to other states. This would also be applied to e-cigarettes and vape products since they can be used for tobacco. The main opposition is tobacco companies while the American Lung Association CA, American Heart Association CA, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and Planned Parenthood are for the proposition.

Prop 57: Criminal Sentencing

This proposition would give the decision to judges, instead of attorneys, whether or not try a juvenile as an adult. This would also give more nonviolent offenders the opportunity for parole and let inmates get credit for good behavior while incarcerated. After Gov. Brown's tough on crime initiatives, CA prisons have been increasing the number of offenders they hold, which means more money goes to the prisons.

Prop 58: Bilingual Education

"Swept up by anti-immigrant politics nearly 20 years ago, California voters approved an initiative that required schoolchildren be taught almost exclusively in English. The measure triggered anger in some immigrant communities, where it was viewed as an attack on multiculturalism. Now that the children of immigrants have assumed significant power in the state Capitol, they are calling on Californians to re-examine the decision that reduced bilingual education in public schools. Prop. 58 would remove restrictions voters put in place in 1998 with Prop. 227. It would allow public schools to decide how to teach English learners – choosing among English-only, bilingual, or other types of programs. It would also open the door for native English speakers to learn a second language." -- CALmatters

Prop 59: Campaign Money

"Asks whether California's elected officials should use their authority to propose and ratify an amendment to the federal Constitution overturning the United States Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Citizens United ruled that laws placing certain limits on political spending by corporations and unions are unconstitutional. Fiscal Impact: No direct fiscal effect on state or local governments. Shall California's elected officials use all of their constitutional authority, including, but not limited to, proposing and ratifying one or more amendments to the United States Constitution, to overturn Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) 558 U.S. 310, and other applicable judicial precedents, to allow the full regulation or limitation of campaign contributions and spending, to ensure that all citizens, regardless of wealth, may express their views to one another, and to make clear that corporations should not have the same constitutional rights as human beings? " -- Official Voter Information Guide

Prop 60: Condoms in Porn

With a huge porn industry presence in CA, this issue affects our state. This proposition would require porn actors to wear condoms during intercourse and producers would have to pay for vaccinations, testing and medical exams regarding sexual health for the participants in the films.

Prop 61: Prescription Drug Prices

This proposition would set the cap for prescription drug prices to the lowest price, which is what Veterans pay. The controversy here is that drug companies could raise the price for vets' meds and then the proposition would have not achieved its purpose to keep drug prices low.

Prop 62: Abolish the Death Penalty

"Prop. 62 would abolish the death penalty, and all current death row inmates would be resentenced to life in prison without parole ." -- CALmatters

Prop 63: Gun Control

"A YES vote on this measure means: A new court process would be created for the removal of firearms from individuals upon conviction of certain crimes. New requirements related to the selling or purchasing of ammunition would be implemented. A NO vote on this measure means: No new firearm– or ammunition–related requirements would be implemented. " -- Official Voter Information Guide

This would require background checks on ammunition and would increase costs for law enforcement and courts to implement the new process.

Prop 64: Legalizing Recreational Marijuana

"Would allow people 21 and older to grow up to six pot plants at home, possess up to an ounce of marijuana and use it for recreational purposes. It would allow the state, as well as cities and counties, to regulate and tax the growing and sale of non-medical marijuana. " -- CALmatters

Prop 65: Redirect Plastic Bag Tax Revenue

"Redirects money collected by grocery and certain other retail stores through mandated sale of carryout bags. Requires stores to deposit bag sale proceeds into a special fund to support specified environmental projects. Fiscal Impact: Potential state revenue of several tens of millions of dollars annually under certain circumstances, with the monies used to support certain environmental programs. " -- Official Voter Information Guide

"[plastic bag] companies crafted Prop. 65 to take money generated by the bag fee away from retailers and move it instead into an environmental fund. " -- CALmatters

The Sierra Club is against this measure because it attacks companies who participate in the plastic bag charge.

Prop 66: Reform Capital Punishment

Prop. 66 attempts to reform capital punishment by shortening the time of legal challenges. It would also allow the state to house condemned men outside San Quentin, currently the only prison that has a death row for men... Former NFL player Kermit Alexander—whose mother, sister and two nephews were murdered by a man now on death row—filed Prop. 66, the competing measure to expedite the death penalty process, and gained the support of law enforcement ." -- CALmatters

If both death penalty related measures pass, the one with more votes will be implemented.

Prop 67: Continue Current Plastic Bag Ban

"A 'Yes' vote approves, and a 'No' vote rejects, a statute that prohibits grocery and other stores from providing customers single–use plastic or paper carryout bags but permits sale of recycled paper bags and reusable bags. " -- Official Voter Information Guide

This measure is an attempt to phase out plastic bags across the state, something 150 communities in CA have already done and have worked to reduce harmful environmental impacts of plastic bags.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

41542
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

26036
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

951348
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

134941
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments