On Tuesday, November 2, voters go to the polls for the midterm election of officials and to cast ballots for a dozen state measures and local initiatives. Popdecay has created this handy guide to help you determine how to vote.
Prop. 19 – Vote Yes
Proposition 19 legalizes marijuana under California law. It provides a basis for the taxation of money generated from the pharmaceutical’s sale. It also will help end one basis for drug enforcement official’s targeting minorities in the “war on drugs.”
Prop. 20 – Vote No
Proposition 20 seeks to redistrict California Congressional Districts by removing elected representative from the process of establishing those districts. It aims to transfer the power from elected officials to a newly created panel of political appointees.
Prop. 21 – Vote No
Proposition 21 seeks to establish an $18 annual vehicle license surcharge to California’s existing vehicle license fee and tax. It aims to “help” fund state parks and wildlife programs and grant all taxed vehicles free admission to all state parks.
Prop. 22 – Vote Yes
Proposition 22 seeks to prohibit California from taking funds used for transportation, redevelopment or local government projects and services to bail out other failing departments in state government. Its goal is to stop California, even during fiscal hardship, from dipping into tax streams earmarked for limited purposes to bail out other poorly funded and/or mismanaged departments.
Prop. 23 – Vote No
Proposition 23 seeks suspend air pollution control law (AB 32) which requires major sources of emissions to report and reduce greenhouse gas emissions causing global warming. It seeks to tie to new regulation to the unemployment rate and suspend pollution control until unemployment drops to 5.5% or lower for the duration of 12 months.
Prop. 24 -Vote No
Proposition 24 seeks to repeal recent legislation that allows businesses to lower tax liability. It aims to (1) make it more difficult to deduct losses in one year against income in other years, (2) make multi-state businesses’ California income determined by more complex calculus, and (3) make it impossible for businesses to share tax credits with related businesses.
Prop. 25 – Vote No
Proposition 25 seeks to change the legislative vote required to pass budget and budget-related legislation from two-thirds to a simple majority. It also forfeits daily salaries of elected officials and expenses until budget bills are passed.
Prop. 26 – Vote Yes
Proposition 26 seeks to broaden the definition of “tax” to include payments that are currently thought of as fees or charges. It seems to require a two-thirds vote for any fee or charges increase.
Prop. 27 – Vote Yes
Proposition 27 seeks to eliminate the newly created state commission on redistricting, which consists of political appointees. It aims to reconsolidate redistricting power into the hands of elected officials.