Mustang News November 1, 2022 | Election Edition

MUSTANG NEWS

LEADERSHIP

Catherine Allen Editor in Chief

Naomi Vanderlip Managing Editor

NEWS

Chloe Lovejoy Editor

Amelia Wu Assistant Editor

Carly Heltzel

Ashley Bolter

Archana Pisupati

Emma Montalbano

Jeremy Garza

Leila Touati

Kate McHugh

Owen Lavine

OPINION

Rebecca Caraway Editor Grace Schweitzer

Emma Hoffman

Shelbi Sullaway

Neta Bar

Zoe Denton Eli Winn

Sarah Chayet Erin Yarwood

Eden-Rose Baker

SPORTS

Diego Sandoval Editor Miles Berman Derek Righetti

Kylie Hastings Nick Bandanza Matthew Ho Noah Greenblatt

Jonathan Sze Sergio Romero Jack Bynum

Abraham Alvarez Jackson Inagi

ARTS & STUDENT LIFE

Emma Robertson Editor

Lauren Emo Editor

Sarina Grossi Mia Anderson

Maya Aparicio Delaney Jacobs Kate Hernandez

Makaylah Kahn

DESIGN

Claire Lorimor Creative Director Kayla Olow

Megan Anderson Olivia Frazier

Jacob Boyd Kaley Schneider Rain Mazumder

Caitlin Calhoun

VIDEO

Brady Caskey MNTV News Director

Nate Mills Sports Video Director Matthew Bornhorst Producer

Ari Lopez

Gabrielle Downey

Angelina Salgado

Madison Vernon Avery Elowitt

Ethan Telles

PHOTO

Shae Ashamalla Editor

Maddie Harrell Fenn Bruns

Kayla Stuart Chloe Kern

Mia-Isobel Craig

Bobby Groth

Ashley Spinoglio

Annabelle Fagans

COPY EDITING

Morgan Fitzgerald Payton Swanson Shalini Sinha

SOCIAL MEDIA

Lily Tenner Manager

Clover Hamilton Alyssa Pacheco

Jackie Espitia Sydney Spencer

Alina Jafri

Noel Lopez

Chloe Chin Angela Passalacqua

Presley Allen

DATA & INVESTIGATIONS

Elizabeth Wilson Editor

Amelia Wu Victoria Bochniak

Jessa Rosenthal Cole Pressler Joshua Blank Jadyn Ellis Brandon Kim Masato Nandate

Tejasree Kandibanda

EN ESPAÑOL

Yarely De La Cruz Editor Bryanna Hernandez

KCPR

LEADERSHIP

Emily Tobiason Content Director

Lauren Boyer KCPR News Director Maddy Worth Art Director Zoe Boyd Programming/Music Director

David Aronson Marketing Director

DISC JOCKEYS

Zoe Boyd Director Liv Collom

Jaxon Silva Melissa Melton Nathan Jackson

Maire O’Toole

Arianne Landers

Jordan Bates Emily Duncan Charlotte Matthews

Alina Jafri

Cindy Nguyen Ollie Lamkin

Maile Gardner Emily Tobiason Joshua Maxin

Dante Erz

Samay Shah Maria Langlois

Penny Alioshin

Sam Kohn

David Aronson

KCPR NEWS

Lauren Boyer Director

Jordan Triebel Assistant Director

Nico Vinuela Assistant Director

Trevor Baumgardner

Ethan Telles

Liv Collom

Eden-Rose Baker

Natalie Levesque

Sophie Corbett

Zoe Boyd

Sarah McElroy Presley Allen Victoria Bochniak Ashley Tuell Jada Griffith Maddie Harrell Avery Ellowitt

Aidan Dillon

KCPR.ORG

Emily Tobiason Content Director Cayley O’Brien Editorial Assistant Summer Fitzgerald Claudia Muñoz

Kaelyn Bremer Sadie Beaumont Ashley Oakes Sydney Spencer Kate Lowpensky Emmy Burrus Jaxon Silva Lily Tenner Maile Gardner Samay Shah Emma Hughes Alina Jafri

Kaelyn Bremer Jordan Bates Emily Duncan Mckenna Rodriguez Natalie Venable

Casey James

DESIGN

Maddy Worth Director Reilly Yuen

Izzy Flint-Gonzales Cindy Nguyen Josie Doan

Lexi Berryhill Jaxon Silva Ollie Lamkin

Maire O’Toole Penny Alioshin

Ella Tune

Raja Grossi

MARKETING & PR

David Aronson Director

Charlotte Matthews

Kailey Dodson Maria Langlois Sydney Osterbauer

Dante Erz

Nate Jackson

Arianne Landers

Jacquelyn Wong Emily Duncan

PODCASTING

Samantha Riordan Manager Ashley Oakes

Cameron King

Rachel Kupfer-Weinstein

Jordan Triebel Kaitlyn Lam Avery Elowitt

Cassie Duarte

Sam Kohn

Jacob Sarmiento

Sophia Martino Emma Hughes

IN THIS ISSUE

SLO MAYOR WANTS RESIDENTS TO STAY SAFE AND STAY IN TOWN

STORY BY Jeremy Garza DESIGNED BY Kayla Olow

Sam Hubbard

Lauren Emo

Ooms Marketing

Nguyen Advertising Design

SLO CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES Q & A

STORY BY Archana Pisupati

DESIGNED BY Rain Mazumder

PROPOSITIONS BREAKDOWN

STORY BY Owen Lavine DESIGNED BY Olivia Frazier

STORY BY Jonathan Sze DESIGNED BY Jacob Boyd

CAL POLY PARKING EXPLAINED

STORY BY Gabrielle Downey DESIGNED BY Kayla Olow

ADVISERS

Jon Schlitt General Manager

Pat Howe Editorial Adviser

Brady Teufel Digital Adviser

Patti Piburn KCPR Adviser

Richard Gearhart MNTV Adviser

Claire Lorimor

Director

Boyer

Brady Caskey MNTV News

Victoria Bochniak Digital Director

Measure C-22 will modernize classrooms, fix leaky roofs, upgrade AC & heating systems, and add security measures for all 12 San Luis Coastal elementary and middle schools, plus Pacific Beach High School.

Join those who believe our children deserve safe, modern schools:

Dawn Addis

Laura Albers

Jill Anderson

Pat Arnold

Erica Flores

Baltodano

Jay Beck

Jenny Beck

Amanda BenNaim

Joe Benson

Dave Bernhardt

Brianna Biberston

Sam Blakeslee

Kim Bisheff

Leah Bodily Michael Boyer

Quinn Brady

Mark Buchman

Jeff Buckingham

Joan Buckingham California School Employees Association, SLCUSD Chapter

Missy Reitner Cameron

Devin Kuhn Choi

Dave Christy

Marty Claus

Diane Clausen

Rosa Couto

Dave Cox

Maggie Cox

Jean Davidson

Bria diCicco

Carl Dudley Robin Dudley Jim Duffy

Tom Duggan

Charlotte Erlin

Don Ernst

Piper Fedrow

Daniel Feuerstein

Julie Feuerstein

Catherine Fiorello

Tony Fiorello

Bert Forbes

Jen Ford

Evelyn Frame

Emily Francis Michelle Garner

Dave Garth

Sandy Garth

Erica Gibbons

Gregory Francisco Gillett

Erik Gomez

Marisa Gomez

Dorothy Spatafore

Grant

Linda Lewis Griffith

Courtney Haile

Karissa Hamblet

Maryalice Hamilton

Lindsey Haring

John Headding

Mike Heyl Kristin Horowitz International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local Union No.639

Ali Jansen

Steve Jobst

M.J. Johnson

Erik Justesen

Ermina Karim

Jake Kaufman

Courtney Kienow

Jennifer Knerr

Kelly Knox

Nina Taylor Kobliska

Laurie Kriet

Rich Kriet

Bryan Krill

Sally Kruger

David Kuykendall

John Laird

Michelle Landis

Audrey Lariz Ryan Lawrence

Dawn Ortiz Legg

Todd LeMay Rob Lewin

Jan Marx

Ben McAdams

Patrick McGrath Sara McGrath

Steve McGrath

Ryan McMichael

David Mitchell

Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce Laura Mullen

Pat Mullen

Stephen Patrick Jimmy Paulding Linda Pax Andy Pease Renee Periat Christie Peterson Holly Peterson Jim Quesenberry Christine Robertson

Lynne Robinett Rick Robinett Ann Robinson Marilyn Rodger Emily Rosten

San Luis Coastal Teachers Association

San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce San Luis Obispo Tribune

Emma Saperstein

Janae Sargent Annette Sheely Ellen Sheffer

Michelle Shoresman

Michael Simkins

Sandi Sigurdson Laura Slaughter

Andrea Soderin Southwest Carpenter’s Union Deb Spatafore John Spatafore Stephanie Stackhouse Elizabeth ”Biz”

Steinberg

Erica A. Stewart

Bettina Swigger

Jeriel Sydney Ben Taylor

Courtney Taylor

Tara Teitge Bill Thoma

Linda Thoma Carrie Trujillo Joyce Tseng Chris Ungar Hannah Vanbuskirk Alicia Veium Eric Veium Chip Visci Bob Wacker Debbie Wacker Ellie Washington Jermaine Washington James White Jill Bolster-White Mary Witkowski Kara Woodruff Allison Woods Matthew Woods Sharon Young Ron Yukelson

Partial List

San Luis Coastal alumni parents Steve McGrath and Sandi Sigurdson want good schools for their grandchildren Pearl, Penelope and Liam.

SLO MAYOR SPEAKS ON CAL POLY, DIVERSITY AND STEPPING INTO LEADERSHIP

BY JEREMY GARZA

With an “I Hate Mornings” mug in tow, Erica Stewart talked with Mus tang News about her life as the may or of San Luis Obispo — and how she got here.

Stewart, a Black Cal Poly alumna, described going to her hometown six hours away just to get her hair done when she was a student. When she began working in San Luis Obispo after graduation, Stewart said she found a place that was closer: four hours away.

“That took me out of the communi ty,” Stewart said.

After choosing to attend Cal Poly –because it was just far enough from her parents’ home in the Bay Area – she quickly learned about the lack of diversity in SLO, and how that’s harmed the community.

Since being unanimously ap pointed as mayor last fall, Stewart has made diversity issues one of the biggest components of her platform. Now, running in the 2022 election to keep her seat, Stewart aims to contin ue working on that issue,and more.

“Cal Poly shaped me as a young person and gave me so many oppor tunities that I never ever thought I would have,” Stewart said. “I’m not always Cal Poly proud, but I am real ly pleased that I went here and went through those.”

Stewart simultaneously works as the assistant marketing director for Campus Health and Wellbeing. At Cal Poly, Stewart said she is pleased to see that some major changes are occurring to increase diversity on the campus.

“I think they are trying to pay atten tion to the need to change when it comes to diversity,” Stewart said. “It takes some economic pains. There was a point where these pretty big businesses told Dr. Armstrong, ‘We love your students. We’d love that they are ready on day one, except for

when they come into our space.’”

Stewart has noticed that, in the past, Cal Poly students have gone into the workforce with an unusual lack of experience with people who do not come from the same back ground as them.

“They’re like, ‘Whoa, who are all these different types of people?’ We need people who have diverse back grounds or different exposure to criticism,” Stewart said. “Changing a majority white school for decades is not going to happen overnight.”

For students who may feel lost, Stewart said she suggests looking for people who share a similar back

I love my community. It just got to the point where I felt like people were so disrespectful, not caring about each other. I wanted to see a change in that flow. I actually didn’t desire to be elected office ever again.

ERICA STEWART Mayor

ground or relate to their experiences.

Diversity is not the only issue that Stewart is passionate about. She sees a massive unhoused population and a growing housing problem across the community. Mental health con cerns, climate change and transpor tation issues are on her mind as well.

“Housing and homelessness, while they’re intertwined, are also com pletely separate because of the com plicated issues that bring someone to become homeless,” Stewart said. “Health care and mental health are two things that the city doesn’t pro vide effectively.”

Stewart’s previous elected office was as Cal Poly’s student body pres ident. In the years since, she has walked through many stages of life. She has a family, is involved in the PTA and was a soccer mom. She also opened a bakery in the back of a cof fee shop.

But she said she hasn’t always wanted to lead the city.

“I love my community,” Stewart said. “It just got to the point where I felt like people were so disrespectful, not caring about each other. I wanted to see a change in that flow. I actually didn’t desire to be elected to office ever again.”

Stewart has experienced a vast range of what it means to be a SLO community member, which is how she realized what being a SLO city council member could be like.

“Really seeing all the different ex periences of the community actually

is what we needed,” Stewart said. “I have lived the life of a normal per son. That’s when I said ‘Let’s do it.’”

JEREMY GARZA | MUSTANG NEWS

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BY ARCHANA PISUPATI

The city of San Luis Obispo is holding their general municipal elections Nov. 8 of this year. In this general election, two council member seats and the mayor seat are open. Four candi dates are running for the two avail able spots; former council member Michelle Shoresman, as well as Emily Francis, Joe Benson and James Papp. Mustang News spoke with each candidate to learn more about their campaigns.

These interviews have been edited and condensed. Please access each of the candidate’s websites with more information about their platforms by clicking on the hyperlinked names.

1) Tell us about your political background.

Michelle Shoresman: I have always been driven by a sense of service. I have dedicated my career to public service, working as a manager in the Public Health Department for over 20 years and most recently serving as the spokesperson for the Department during COVID-19. I also serve as an elected trustee on the County’s Pension Trust Board, which makes financial and operational decisions on behalf of its members for over $1.6 billion in assets.

In October 2021, I was unani mously appointed to a vacant seat on the SLO City Council when Mayor Harmon stepped down from her post and Councilmember Stewart was appointed into the mayor’s role. I am the only incumbent now running for council with the goal of retaining my seat for an additional four years. Before being appointed to council, I served on the city’s planning commission. I have also worked and volunteered with a vari ety of local organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters, local youth

sports, and have volunteered on a variety of political campaigns. I am the founder of Lead Organizer for Women in the Pipeline, whose mission is to prepare and encourage women to run for office.

during the county redistricting process in 2021 - advocating against what was blatant gerry mandering by the conservative majority of the SLO County Supervisors. It’s important to note that I’m the only candidate in this race who spoke out during those hearings and had the cour age to advocate for the City of SLO to be properly represented at the county level.

I also worked on the election campaigns for Supervisor-elect Jimmy Paulding and Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg.

rather than running races with slogans and glad-handing. The prob lem in this town is that the politi cians are quashing the citizens and independent experts on behalf of the interests of developers and senior city staff in cahoots with the devel opers (developers, I hasten to add, not of affordable housing, which the city needs, but luxury housing, which is where the money is).

2) In three words, describe why you are fit for the position you are running for: (i.e. I am..)

years ago, as a SLO resident, I engage with Cal Poly almost every single day. Whether it’s swimming laps in the rec center pool, attending an event at the Performing Arts Center, catch ing a game in Spanos Stadium or talking with faculty, staff or students, I appreciate the richness that the Cal Poly campus brings to our commu nity. Student voices are important to our city. I always encourage student involvement in our city activities, advisory bodies and meetings. This community is your home for four years (or longer), and your needs should be represented.

Emily Francis: I decided I wanted to study political science and go into law, but realized the part of that scenario that was most impactful to me was my teacher Mr. Alcox and how excited he got all his students about learning. I went on to volun teer for Jeanne Shaheen, US Senator from NH in her race for governor. I later volunteered for the John Kerry campaign in Colorado in 2004, and the Obama campaign in 2008 I served as a county delegate. While department chair of the social stud ies department at Arroyo Grande High School, I kept a very low polit ical profile to keep nonpartisan and ensure I didn’t bring my own politics into the classroom. In 2020, I volun teered and canvassed locally for Elizabeth Warren and in 2022 I did phone banking for Jimmy Paulding who had been a guest speaker several times in my classroom.

Joe Benson: This is my first time running for office and I’m really enjoying everything about it. I provided public testimony twice

James Papp: As an undergrad uate, I worked as a columnist and editor for the UCSD Guardian, which connected me to campus and local politics, including land use around the university. As a graduate student, I got involved in student government, initially because of unhappiness at how the library singled out grad students for especially harsh fines, and later at one point I checked and was on fourteen different commit tees, from the UCLA College of Letters and Science Executive Committee to the UC Systemwide Committee on Planning and Budget, which had oversight over a $5 billion budget (adjusted for inflation, because this was in the early nineties). At one point—during budget “lockdown” during a recession, I managed to get $27 million (again, adjusted for inflation) to plug a fee-increase hole in TA and RA salaries, which showed me you can make major changes through paying attention, doing the analysis, and influencing the influ encers. One of my major beefs about the SLO City Council is they never do basic longitudinal, market basket or capital versus operating analysis of the city budgets.

In a sense, my involvement in poli tics has always been apolitical, as someone appointed for expertise

Michelle Shoresman: I am expe rienced in government processes and policy making, hard-working and dedicated to improving our community.

Emily Francis: I am a great researcher, hardworking, and focused.

Joe Benson: I am pragmatic, balanced, and forward-thinking.

James Papp: How about “Reasonably intelligent, uncorrupt.”

Emily Francis: Most of my team is affiliated with Cal Poly and many of us who live in SLO can thank Poly for making it the community that it is. That being said, I think there’s more we can do to develop the rela tionship between the city and the university. The learn by doing model offers so many wonderful opportu nities to use the skills and research of students and faculty to innovate around planning, transportation, housing, and innovating for climate resilience. I hope to keep strength ening our relationship with Poly by providing stronger protections for renters, finding ways to integrate practical civics into opportunities for Poly students and encouraging students to advocate for their needs in the community.

Michelle Shoresman: Although I graduated from Cal Poly close to 30

Joe Benson: The students at CalPoly are critical partners in the City’s success both now and in the future. Having a world-class learning institution is a tremendous benefit for our city and we should consis tently find ways to fully leverage the incredible talent available. Having provided pro bono legal advice at Cal Poly’s hothouse for the past 5 years, I know as well as anyone how deep the intellectual talent is and how much our community can benefit

3) Where do students (at Cal Poly) fit into your agenda; how does your campaign benefit them in terms of engagement?

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from it. One of my goals as a coun cil member is to find ways for our city to have an economy that offers good high paying jobs and housing that is more affordable rather than the current environment of graduates typically only being able to afford to come back mid-career or later.

James Papp: Poly students no more form a single identity or inter est group than any other large popu lation. I was a grad student in LA during the Rodney King riots, and my approach then was to focus on specifically practical efforts. When, 25 years later, nothing had changed, I joined the SLO protests, as the oldest regular protester. The SLO City government paid insincere lip service to those protests and killed any meaningful change by bureau cratizing it, so after a further two years, still nothing has changed.

But there are plenty of Poly students who had no interest in the protests. Some are focused on their schoolwork, some on finding future work, some on finding affordable housing. A tiny, tiny minority with outsize profile are focused on getting drunk on Higuera Street and vandal izing our Chinatown neighborhood on the way home at two in the morn ing. Those, I run after, catch and call the cops on—who then do nothing.

parents and growing children can afford to live in, and they want to take care of our houseless commu nity members. They also want a more diverse community– one that encourages diverse thinking and perspectives while preserving the sense of community that makes SLO special.

ELECTION NIGHT!

tune in to our election night coverage on mustangnews.net, tuesday, november 8

The following questions were asked individually to the candidates based on their platforms.

JAMES PAPP

How has your time as a council member enhanced your current running platform for council?

Michelle Shoresman: As a council member, I have had the opportu nity to serve our community for the last year, hearing from hundreds of residents about their concerns and goals for the community. Although many of the issues I am focusing on in my campaign come from my own experience and desires for the city after living here for more than 25 years, it is enlightening and affirm ing to know that most of my fellow residents are concerned about the same things, and want the same things for SLO that I do– they want to continue to protect our environ ment, they want housing that their

How will your experience as an educator enhance your ability to lead in council?

Emily Francis: As a public school educator, I am incredibly proud of the work I have done with high schoolers in creating a love for history, government, and a general sense of intellectual curiosity. My time in the classroom brought me immense joy and connection to the next generation who I am convinced is the best among us. Serving as both a teacher and as a club mentor to a variety of student-run organizations gave me insight to the fears and hopes of teens in our community.

One of the most valuable experi ences I learned through teaching is the importance of acknowledging what you don’t know and being will ing and eager to seek out those who have the data and answers to help you understand. A council member is not generally a subject area expert on the policies they are voting on. Being curious helped me immensely in teaching and I hope that attribute will also help me be a good council member.

Working to reimagine SLO’s downtown community to be more vibrant and inclusive, what do you plan on doing to bridge communi ties of locals and diverse peoples brought in by the Cal Poly Campus?

Joe Benson: Our city has a tremen dous opportunity to make further

investments in fixing the current racial imbalance. We know in busi ness that diversity results in higher performance and better outcomes and I believe having greater diversity is critical to the city’s success. I fully support the DEI task force recom mendations and I support increasing the current budget for such recom mendations so that underrepre sented groups in our community can amplify their voices and feel like SLO is their home. I also want to actively recruit underrepresented groups to serve on the city’s advisory bodies (e.g. planning commission, parks and recreation commission, etc.) so that decisions are being made with all members of our community having a seat at the table.

infrastructure, etc. My opponents are a county bureaucrat (who tends to side with the bureaucrats), a lawyer (lawyers form 0.03% of the general population, 33% of Congress and 40% of the SLO City Council, but maybe we need more) and a high school teacher. So they are going to have a less direct dog in this fight. (2) As a historian, I have an analytical view of how communities and govern ments function and fail to function over time. For example, I know how homelessness in the 1930s and 1980s compares with today and what popu lar solutions are non-starters and how the major impetus has not been to solve homelessness but to keep it out of bougie sightlines. I know how city and developers’ policies have been used to take a once-diverse city and make it increasingly, unjustly and boringly white. This is useful knowledge in policy and planning.

How will your background as a historian and architectural histo rian supplement your position as a city council member differing from the other candidates?

James Papp: Two things differen tiate me as a professional historian and architectural historian from the other candidates. (1) I work every day as a small businessperson repre senting ordinary property owners in their dealings with an increasingly Kafkaesque bureaucracy regarding historic resources. My expertise is unsexy land use, zoning, permitting,

The problem in this town is that the politicians are quashing the citizens and independent experts on behalf of the interests of developers and senior city staff in cahoots with the developers

City Council Candidate

EMILY FRANCIS

JOE BENSON

Propositions Breakdown

This year, voters only have seven propositions available to them — the fewest number of ballot measures in more than a century, CalMatters report ed. Still, the 2022 election is giving Californians a chance to decide on popular issues, from protecting abortion rights to subsidizing zero-emission vehicles.

Mustang News broke down what the propositions would do — and the pros and cons of each one — to help make your decision easier.

BY OWEN LAVINE

PROP 1:

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, leaving it up to the states to determine their abortion laws. While California currently protects abortion access, Prop. 1 would embed that protection into the state constitution. Prop. 1 would amend the California Constitution to prohibit the state from denying the right to abortions, contraceptives and other reproductive services — codifying the Reproductive Privacy Act of 2009.

Pros:

Writ large pro-choice groups such as Planned Parenthood, National Abortion Rights Action League and more support the proposition. Many pro-choice advocates believe that abortion rights are under attack after the supreme court delivered the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision earlier this year, effectively overturning the previous longstanding abortion precedent, Roe v. Wade, and putting the question of abortion rights into the hands of state legislatures and congress. They also believe that the Dobbs decision will be used as a precedent to overturn other related cases involving contraceptives such as Griswold v. Connecticut. This proposition aims to make legal challenges to the aforementioned rights more difficult by enshrining them into California’s constitution.

Cons:

Pro-life and Christian faith groups such as the California Catholic Conference, Students for life and many more listed on noproposition1.com/endorsements are leading the opposi tion to Prop. 1. Pro-life advocates argue that abortion is murder and therefore should be illegal. They also argue that the law would be “overly broad” and allow for late-term abortions which currently exist in a legal grey area known as the viability standard which argues that at 23 weeks a fetus or when the fetus reaches 500 grams it is considered viable and therefore cannot be terminated. However, there are some exceptions to the viability standard, for example, if the life of the mother would be threatened by birth or is currently threatened by the fetus. They also argue that this proposition is unnecessary as the standing abortion laws in California are already strong.

PROP 26:

Prop. 26 seeks to legalize sports betting in California exclusively at American Indian gaming casinos and licensed horse racing racetracks. The proposition would impose a 10% excise tax on sports betting at horse racing racetracks and to legalize roulette, blackjack and craps at American Indian gaming casinos. The proposition was introduced by the Coalition for Safe, Responsible Gambling. Sports betting is currently illegal in California. 15% of the 10% excise tax would go towards funding research into gambling addiction and prevention at the California Department of Health, 70% would go to the state’s general fund and the last 15% would go to the Bureau of Gambling Control according to the text of Prop. 26. The proposition would also make it illegal for persons under 21 years of age to gamble on sports betting. High school sports would also be prohibited from being gambled upon.

Pros:

The main proponent of Prop. 26 is the Yes on 26 no on 27 Coalition for Safe, Responsible Gambling. Prop. 26 is also being supported by a range of American Indian tribes and Tribal Organizations, and social justice groups. Advocates argue that the proposition would generate millions of dollars in revenue for the state. Advocates also argue that Prop. 26 would increase the amount of money that is shared between gaming tribes and non-gaming tribes through the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund.

Cons:

Prop. 26’s main opponent is No on 26, Taxpayers Against Special Interest Monopolies. Other supporters include the Republican Party of California, animal welfare organizations and small business organizations. Opponents argue that the proposition will hurt non-tribal competi tors and create a monopoly on sports gambling in California. Opponents also argue that Prop. 26 will also force cardrooms to close.

PROP 27:

Prop. 27 seeks to allow online sports betting companies to sign an operating agreement with American Indian gaming tribes in California that essen tially allow them to operate within California on behalf of American Indian gaming tribes. The proposition would also establish the California Online Sports Betting Trust Fund, which would allocate 85% of the revenue collected from a 10% excise on sports betting towards the California Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support Account to be used for building permanent and interim housing for houseless people. The other 15% would go toward the Tribal Economic Development Account. The law would also make sports betting legal for those 21 years or older.

Pros:

Prop. 27’s main proponent is Yes on 27 - Californians for Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support. The proposition is also supported by a variety of online sports betting companies such as Draft Kings, a variety of homelessness support organizations, American Indian tribes, the MLB and more. Proponents argue that the proposition would help to address homelessness in California. Proponents also argue that the proposition will open sports betting up to those who want to bet in California in a safe way.

PROP 28:

Prop. 28 seeks to provide an increase of $1 billion in funding for arts and music education in K-12 public schools. The law would not raise any additional taxes to provide the funding. The law would guarantee that 30% of the funds appropriated would go toward schools with economically disadvantaged students.

Pros:

Yes on 28, a coalition of teachers, artists and labor organizations, is the primary proponent of Prop. 28. Prominent supporters of the prop include rapper and producer Dr. Dre, rapper Lil Baby, actress Issa Rae, actor Jon Lithgow, as well as labor unions including SAG-AFTRA, SEIU of California and IATSE. Proponents argue that currently 90% of elementary schools, 96% of middle schools and 72% of high schools fail to provide a high-quality course of study across arts and that this law would decrease the number of schools without a high-quality course of study across arts. They also argue that the necessity for teaching the arts in schools is driven by the benefits that the arts have on children’s cognitive development.

Cons:

No opponents of Prop. 28 are listed on the California Secretary of State website.

PROP 29:

Prop. 29 seeks to require dialysis clinics to have at least one nurse or physician present while patients are being treated, report data on any dialysis-re lated infections to the California Department of Public Health and not discriminate upon patients’ method of payment. Clinics would also be required to report any physicians or people who have an ownership stake of 5% or more in the clinic. The proposition would require clinics to obtain written consent from dialysis patients within the clinic before closing the clinic. Similar versions of prop 29 were proposed in the 2018 and 2020 election cycles (Prop. 8 in 2018 and Prop. 23 in 2020).

Pros:

Prop. 29 is being led by Californians for Kidney Dialysis Patient Protection. Proponents of Prop. 29 argue that patients have a higher chance of infec tion or death when a nurse practitioner, physician, or practitioner is not present and that requiring those medical professionals to be on staff would reduce the likelihood of death or infection. Proponents argue that the two major corporations, who control 80% of California’s dialysis clinics, DaVita and Fresenius, make billions of dollars yearly and can afford to hire more staff without closing clinics.

Cons:

Opposition to Prop. 29 is being spearheaded by the advocacy group No Prop 29, a coalition of healthcare companies, patient advocacy groups and business groups. Other opponents include DaVita, the Republican Party of California and Fresenius. Opponents argue that Prop. 29 will close nearly half of all dialysis clinics, drastically reduce staff at clinics and cost an additional $445 million annually for clinics. Opponents also argue that the law would increase taxes to offset the higher costs of healthcare as a result of the law.

PROP 30:

Prop 30 would levy an additional 1.75% tax on people making over $2 million, the revenue from the tax would be used to fund subsidies for zero-emis sion vehicles and infrastructure related to zero-emission vehicles such as electric charging stations. The proposition also provides funding for wild fire prevention. Tax revenue collected from the tax would be split into three different programs; 35% would go toward the Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Investment Plan Sub-Fund, 45% would go toward the Zero-Emission Vehicle and Clean Mobility Sub-Fund and 20% would go toward the Wildfire Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Sub-Fund.

Pros:

Prop. 30’s main supporter is Yes on 30 Clean Air California, a coalition of climate advocacy groups and political organizations. Other proponents include the California Democratic Party, Lyft, Rep. Ro Khanna and former presidential Candidate Tom Steyer. Proponents argue that proposition 30 will reduce emissions and the cost of electric vehicles. Proponents also argue that the proposition will help Lyft and Uber rideshare drivers by offsetting their reimbursement for fueling their cars onto the state as opposed to rideshare companies.

Cons:

Governor Gavin Newsom and No on 30 are the main opponents of Prop. 30. Other opponents include the Republican Party of California, the California Teachers Association and the California Chamber of Commerce. Gov. Newsom argues that “Prop. 30 is a special interest carve-out — a cynical scheme devised by a single corporation to funnel state income tax revenue to their company. … Californians should know that just this year our state committed $10 billion for electric vehicles and their infrastructure.” Other opponents argue that taxes are too high to begin with and these taxes are unnecessary and economically dangerous.

PROP 31:

Prop. 31 seeks to uphold SB 793 which banned the sale of flavored tobacco products in California. The law would continue the prohibition of flavored tobacco products with exemptions for hookah tobacco, loose-leaf tobacco and premium cigars.

Pros:

Governor Gavin Newsom and Yes On Prop. 31, Committee to Protect California Kids are the main proponents of Prop. 31. Proponents argue that flavored tobacco products are marketed towards minors and underage adults to get them addicted to tobacco products by flavoring their products. They also argue that these products are more dangerous than traditional unflavored tobacco products. Proponents argue that flavored tobacco products tend to target people-of-color and Black people, in particular, citing the fact that in the 1950s less than 10% of smokers who smoked menthol-flavored cigarettes are Black and today 85% are Black.

Cons:

The main opponents of Prop. 31 include No on Prop 31- Californians Against Prohibition and the Republican Party of California. Other opponents include tobacco companies such as Philip-Morris USA inc. and the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Opponents argue that the sale of tobacco products to those under the age of 21 is already illegal so this law would ban adults from consuming these products not children. Opponents also argue that the ban will hurt small businesses such as liquor stores and smoke shops.

Propositions Breakdown

Este año, los votantes sólo tienen siete proposiciones a su disposición — el menor número de medidas en la boleta electoral en más de un siglo, in formó CalMatters. Aun así, la elección de 2022 está dando a los californianos una oportunidad de decidir sobre temas populares, como la protección de los derechos de aborto hasta el subsidio de vehículos de emisión cero. Mustang News desglosó lo que harían las propuestas, y describió los pros y los contras de cada una, con esperanza de ayudar a facilitar su decisión.

BY OWEN LAVINE TRANSLATED BY KIMBERLY GARCIA CRUZ, BRYANNA HERNANDEZ, LIV COLLOM

PROPOSICIÓN 1:

La Corte Suprema anuló Roe v. Wade en junio, dejando que los estados individualmente determinen sus leyes de aborto. California actualmente protege el acceso al aborto, Proposición 1 incorporaría esa protección en la constitución estatal. Proposición 1 enmendaría la Constitución de California para prohbir que el estado niegue el derecho al aborto, los anticonceptivos y otros servicos reproductivos—codificando la Ley Privacidad Reproductiva de 2009.

Pros:

Hay grandes grupos a favor del derecho de decidir, como Planned Parenthood, National Abortion Rights Action League y más apoyan la proposición. Muchos partidarios del derecho a decidir creen que el derecho al aborto estuvo bajo ataque despues de que la corte suprema dictara la decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health a principios de este año, y luego anulando efectivamente el anterior precedente de aborto de larga data, Roe v. Wade, y poniendo la cuestion del derecho al aborto en las manos de las legislaturas estatles y el congreso. También creen que la decisión de Dobbs se utilizará como precedente para revocar otros casos relacionados con anticonceptivos como Griswold v. Connecticut. Esta proposición quiere dificultar los desafíos legales a los derechos antes mencionados al ingresarlos en la constitución de California.

Contras:

Hay grandes grupos a favor del derecho de decidir, como Planned Parenthood, National Abortion Rights Action League y más apoyan la proposición. Muchos partidarios del derecho a decidir creen que el derecho al aborto estuvo bajo ataque despues de que la corte suprema dictara la decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health a principios de este año, y luego anulando efectivamente el anterior precedente de aborto de larga data, Roe v. Wade, y poniendo la cuestion del derecho al aborto en las manos de las legislaturas estatles y el congreso. También creen que la decisión de Dobbs se utilizará como precedente para revocar otros casos relacionados con anticonceptivos como Griswold v. Connecticut. Esta proposición quiere dificultar los desafíos legales a los derechos antes mencionados al ingresarlos en la constitución de California.

PROPOSICIÓN 26:

Esta proposición busca legalizar las apuestas deportivas en California exclusivamente en los casinos de juego de los indios americanos y en los hipódro mos con licencia. La proposición impondría un impuesto especial del 10 por ciento sobre las apuestas deportivas en los hipódromos y legaliza la ruleta, el blackjack, los dados en los casinos de juegos de los indios americanos. La proposición fue presentada por la Coalición para el Juego Seguro y Responsable. Las apuestas deportivas actualmente son ilegales en California. 15 por ciento del 10 por ciento del impuesto especial se iría para financiar la investigación sobre la adicción al juego y su prevención en el Departamento de Salud en California, el 70 por ciento se destinará al fondo general del de estado y el último 15 por ciento se iría a la Oficina de Control del Juego de acuerdo con el texto de la proposición 26. La proposición también haría ilegal que las personas menores de 21 años de edad apuesten en apuestas deportivas. Con esta proposición, también se prohibiría apostar en los deportes de la escuela secundaria.

Pros:

El principal proponente de la proposición 26 es Sí a la 26 y No en la 27 Coalición para el juego seguro y responsable. La proposición cuenta con apoyo de una variedad de tribus de indios americanos y organizaciones tribales, y grupos de justicia social. Los defensores argumentan que la propuesta generaría millones de dólares en ingresos para el estado. Los defensores también argumentan que la proporción aumentaría la cantidad de dinero que se comparte entre las tribus de juegos y las tribus que no juegan a través del Fondo Fiduciario de Distribución de Ingresos.

Contras:

El principal oponente de la proposición 26 es el voto No en la proposición 26, Contribuyentes contra Los Monopolios de Intereses Especiales. Otros partidos incluyen el Partido Republicano de California, organizaciones de bienestar animal y organizaciones de pequeñas empresas. Los opositores argu mentan que la proposición dañará a los competidores no tribales y creará un monopolio en las apuestas deportivas en California. Los opositores también argumentan que la proposición 26 también obligará a cerrar las salas de juego.

PROPOSICIÓN 27:

Busca permitir que las empresas de apuestas deportivas tengan un acuerdo operativo con las tribus de juego de indios americanos en California que esencial mente les permite operar dentro de California en nombre de las tribus de juego de indios americanos. La proposición también establecería el Fondo Fiduciario de Apuestas Deportivas en Línea de California, que asignaría el 85 por ciento de los ingresos recaudados en un impuesto especial de 10 por ciento sobre las apuestas deportivas a la Cuenta de Apoyo de Salud Mental y Soluciones para las Personas sin Hogar de California que se utilizará para construir viviendas permanentes y provisionales para personas sin hogar. El otro 15 por ciento se destinaría a la Cuenta de Desarrollo Económico Tribal. La ley también legalizaría las apuestas deport ivas para los mayores de 21 años.

Pros:

El principal oponente de la proposición 27 es el voto Sí en la proposición 27: Californianos por Soluciones Para Personas Sin Hogar y Apoyo para la Salud Mental. La propuesta también cuenta con el apoyo de una variedad de compañías de apuestas deportivas en línea, como DraftKings, una variedad de organizaciones de apoyo para personas sin hogar, tribus de indios Americanos, la MLB y más. Los defensores argumentan que la proposición ayudaría a abordar la falta de vivienda en California. Los defensores también argumentan que la proposición abrirá las apuestas deportivas a aquellos que quieran apostar en California de manera segura.

PROPOSICIÓN 28:

La Propuesta 28 intentaría proveer un aumento de $1 mil millones en fondos para la educación de música y arte en las escuelas públicas de K-12. La ley no aumentaría impuestos para proveer los fondos. La ley garantizaría que el 30 por ciento de los fondos apropiados contribuiría a escuelas con estudiantes con desventajas económicas.

Pros:

Si En 28, una coalición de maestros, artistas y organizaciones comunales de trabajo, es el proponente principal de Prop. 28. Los partidarios prominentes incluyen el rapero y productor de música Dr. Dre, rapero Lil Baby, actríz Issa Rae, actor John Lithgow, además de uniones de trabajo como SAG-AFTRA, SEIU de California y IATSE. Los proponentes argumentan que el 90 por ciento de escuelas primarias, el 96 por ciento de escuelas intermedias, y el 72 por ciento de escuelas secundarias fallan al proveer un curso serio del estudio del arte. También argumentan que la necesidad de enseñar arte en la escuela es motivada por los beneficios que tenga el arte en el desarrollo cognitivo de los niños.

Contras:

No hay oponentes listados en el sitio web del Secretario del Estado de California.

PROPOSICIÓN 29:

Prop. 29 intentaría requerir a las clínicas de diálisis a tener por lo menos un enfermero o médico presente durante el tratamiento de las pacientes, reportar información sobre las infecciones de diálisis al Departamento de Salud Público de California, y no discriminar en el método de pago de pacientes. Las clínicas también tendrían que obtener consentimiento escrito de pacientes de diálisis entre la clínica antes de cerrarla. Versiones similares de Prop. 29 fueron propina dos en los ciclos de elección de 2018 y 2020 (Prop. 8 en 2018 y Prop. 23 en 2020).

Pros:

Prop. 29 está llevando a cabo los Californianos para la Protección de Pacientes de Diálisis de Riñón. Los proponentes de Prop. 29 argumentan que los pacien tes tienen una posibilidad más alta de contraer una infección o morir sin la presencia de un enfermero calificado o médico, y que requerir eses profesionales médicos a ser en el personal reduciría la posibilidad de morir o contraer una infección. Los proponentes argumentan que las dos corporaciones que controlan el 80 por ciento de las clínicas de diálisis en California, DaVita y Fresenius, hagan mil millones de dólares cada año y puedan permitirse contratar más emplea dos sin cerrar las clínicas.

Contras:

La oposición a Prop. 29 está dirigido al grupo de apoyo No Prop 29, una coalición de compañías de la asistencia médica, grupos de apoyo de pacientes, y grupos de empresas. Otros oponentes incluyen DaVita, el Partido Republicano de California, y Fresenius. Los oponentes argumentan que Prop. 29 cerraría casi mitad de todos las clínicas de diálisis, reduciría empleados en las clínicas, y costaría una extra $445 millón cada año para las clínicas. Los oponentes también argumentan que la ley aumentaría impuestos para compensar los precios más altos de la asistencia médica como resultado de la ley.

PROPOSICIÓN 30:

Prop. 30 impondría un impuesto adicional de 1.75 por ciento en personas que hagan más que $2 millón. Los ingresos del impuesto serían usados para finan ciar subsidios para la infraestructura relacionada a vehículos sin emisiones, como las estaciones de carga eléctrica. La proposición también proveería fondos para la prevención de los fuegos forestales. Los ingresos colectados del impuesto serían divididos en tres programas diferentes; 35 por ciento iría al plan de subfondo para la inversión de infraestructura de vehículos sin emisiones, 45 por ciento iría al subfondo para vehículos sin emisiones y movilidad limpia, y 20 por ciento iría al subfondo para la reducción de fuegos forestales de emisiones de gases del efecto invernadero.

Pros:

El principal partidario de Prop. 30 es Si a 30 Aire Limpio California, una coalición de grupos y organizaciones políticas en defensa del clima. Otros defensores incluyen el partido Demócrata de California, Lyft, Rep. Ro Khanna y el candidato presidencial pasado Tom Steyer. Defensores discuten que la proposición 30 reducirá emisiones y el costo de vehículos eléctricos. Ellos también discuten que la proposición ayudará a los choferes de vehículos compartidos Lyft y Uber en compensar sus reembolsos por impulsar sus vehículos al estado en vez de las compañías de vehículos compartidos.

Contras:

El gobernador Gavin Newsom y No en 30 son los oponentes principales de la Prop. 30. Otros oponentes incluyen el partido Republicano de California, la asociación de maestros de California y la cámara de comercio de California. Gobernador Newsom discute que la “Prop. 30 forjara un interés especial - una estrategia cynical concebida por una sola corporación para encauzar impuestos de ingresos estatales para su empresa… California debería saber que justo este , nuestro estado comprometió 10 mil millones para vehículos eléctricos y su infraestructura.” Otros oponentes argumentan que los impuestos son muy altos para empezar y que estos impuestos son innecesarios y económicamente peligrosos.

PROPOSICIÓN 31:

La Proposición 31 busca mantener la SB 793 que prohibió la venta de productos de tabaco con sabor en California. La ley continuaría la prohibición de los productos de tabaco con sabor con exenciones para el tabaco hookah, el tabaco de hoja suelta y los puros premium.

Pros:

El gobernador Gavin Newsom y el Comité para Proteger a los Niños de California, son los principales defensores de la Proposición 31. Los defensores argu mentan que los productos de tabaco con sabor se comercializan hacia los menores de edad para hacerlos adictos a los productos de tabaco saborizado. También sostienen que estos productos son más peligrosos que los productos de tabaco tradicionales sin sabor. De hecho, los proponentes argumentan que los productos de tabaco con sabor tienden a dirigirse a las personas de color y a las personas negras. Esto se ha demonstrado con el hecho de que en los años 1950s menos del 10por ciento de los fumadores que fumaban cigarrillos con sabor a mentol son negros. Hoy en dia, el 85 por ciento de fumadores son negros.

Contras:

Los oponentes principales de la Propuesta incluye el grupo “No sobre la Propuesta 31 - Californianos contra la Prohibición y el Partido Republicano de California” Otros opositores incluyen empresas tabacaleras como Philip-Morris USA inc. y la R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Los opositores argumentan que la venta de productos de tabaco a menores de 21 años ya es ilegal, por lo que esta ley prohibiría a los adultos consumir estos productos, no a los niños.. Los oposi tores también sostienen que la prohibición perjudicaba a las pequeñas empresas, como las tiendas de licores y las tiendas de humo.

Propositions

BY DEREK RIGHETTI

California voters will notice two new propositions on their ballots this year: Propositions 26 and 27. These propose the legalization of sports betting in California, either in tribal casinos or online.

“My initial thoughts are nega tive,” political science junior Nick Hopkinson said. “I see gambling, especially institutional gambling, as exploitative of an addiction and something that ruins lives.”

Proposition 26 will allow tribal casinos and California’s four-horse race tracks to offer in-person sports betting. It would also allow casinos to begin offering roulette and dice games, including craps.

According to CalMatters, bets placed at horse race tracks would be taxed, but the proposed legislation won’t tax tribes. Instead, it requires tribes to reimburse the state for the cost of regulating betting.

I see gambling, especially institutional gambling, as exploitative of an addiction and something that ruins lives.

NICK HOPKINSON

Political Science Junior

The proposition also creates a new way of enforcing some gaming laws. It allows anyone to bring a lawsuit forward if they believe the laws are being violated and the State Department declines to act on it. The state would receive any money that results from penalties or settlements.

Supporters of Prop. 26 believe it will increase tribal self-sufficiency by bringing more business to the casinos. It will also protect against underage gambling by requiring people to be physically present when placing a bet.

Groups like the Yes on 26 commit tee, NAACP, California Young Democrats and the California District Attorneys Association are all in favor of the proposition.

“I think the generated tax reve nue if used correctly could do some real good,” business administration senior Astrid Dominguez said. “I think the money could go toward the state education system and funding more tiny homes to combat homelessness.”

Opponents argue the new gaming law enforcement mechanism will be used by tribal casinos to sue competing card rooms and drive them out of business. Some casinos also allow 18-year-olds to gamble, so opponents believe the initiative could lead young people to develop gambling addictions.

The No on 26 committee, California Republican Party, California Black Chamber of Commerce and California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce all oppose the presented legislation.

A total of $161 million has been invested, reported by CalMatters. Of

that, $118.4 million has been raised by supporters.

The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies found that 31% of likely voters will vote yes, 42% will vote no and 27% remain undecided.

Proposition 27, on the other hand, would allow licensed tribes and gaming companies to offer mobile and online sports betting for anyone over 21. Gaming companies – like FanDuel and DraftKings – would only be able to offer services if they made a deal with a tribe.

The proposition would make it very difficult for smaller gaming companies to compete after creat ing extremely high thresholds for companies to do business in California. Tribes and gaming companies would pay fees and taxes to the state that could total several hundred million dollars a year, according to CalMatters.

Most of the money would be used to address homelessness and for gambling addiction programs, while 15% would go to Native American tribes that aren’t involved in sports betting.

Supporters believe the new legisla tion would create a source of funding to reduce homelessness and allow every tribe to benefit, including those that opt out of offering sports betting.

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Those in support of the proposition include the Yes on Prop. 27 commit tee, FanDuel, DraftKings, other gaming companies, the mayors of Fresno, Sacramento, Oakland and Long Beach and Major League Baseball.

“I think it’s hypocritical that a gambling bill will help fight gambling addiction,” graphic communications junior Jake MacConnell said. “That doesn’t make sense to me when the bill is clearly in support of gambling and casinos.”

Prop. 27 opponents believe it would turn every cell phone and computer into a gambling device and escalate the risks of underage and addictive gambling. They also believe it would take business away from tribal casi nos and threaten tribal sovereignty, since the tribes would give up some rights to offer betting.

The No on Prop. 27 commit tee, California Democratic Party, California Republican Party and 50 Native American tribes and tribal organizations all oppose.

“I see how Prop. 27 specifically can be exclusionary and do harm to the Native American tribes that don’t have the means of entry,” Dominguez said. “That is my biggest concern, trying to ensure these groups are able to equally partake and aren’t disadvantaged even more

by an unjust system.”

A total of $404.4 million has been invested in this proposition. Opponents have raised $234.6 million compared to the $169.8 million raised by supporters.

Of potential voters, 27% are projected to vote yes, 53% to vote no and 20% are undecided, accord ing to the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies.

California has been behind the eight ball in regards to both of these measures. Since the Supreme Court ruled states could legalize sports betting in 2018, 35 states and Washington D.C. have passed legis lation. In 2020, California lawmak ers tried to negotiate a deal but were unable to get a measure on the ballot.

“To be honest, I’m not sure California needs this,” Hopkinson said. “We have a strong economy as it is without these measures, and I’m not sure it’s worth the negative aspects.”

Voters will decide the fate of these two bills on Tuesday, Nov. 8 when they head to the polls.

“The consequences won’t be noticeable to anyone that doesn’t have a gambling addiction,” MacConnell said. “Both props will hurt those who have gambling addic tions and their loved ones.”

Opinions of Likely Voters

The Sports Betting Propositions Are More Complicated Than They Seem

BY REBECCA CARAWAY

In the upcoming midterms elec tion, California has two proposi tions on the ballot related to sports betting. Prop. 26 titled “Legalize Sports Betting at Tribal Casinos,” and Prop. 27 titled “Allow Online Sports Betting” — Prop. 27 in particular is a lot more complicated than it seems. Prop. 26 is a bit more straight forward than Prop. 27. If Prop. 26 passes, tribal casinos will be able to offer roulette and dice games. Sports betting would also be offered at race tracks. Being able to offer dice and roulette games means more profit for California tribes.

could place a bet at home through sites like Draftkings and FanDual.

The proposition would require various payments to the state. Any tribe or gaming company with a sports betting license would have to pay 10% of bets made every month to the state. Tribes will have to pay $10 million when a five-year license is renewed and another $1 million every time it is renewed. Gambling companies will have to pay $100 million for their license and another $10 million each time it gets renewed.

What will the state do with all that money? The payments will go into the California Online Sports Betting Trust Fund (COSBTF). The money will first be used to cover state regu latory costs and then 85% to address homelessness and gambling addic tion programs.

the Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians and Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians support Prop. 27. However, groups such as the Coalition on Homelessness San Francisco and California Coalition for Rural Housing oppose the prop osition. Homeless advocates argue that with $2 billion already going toward homelessness, throwing more money at the problem won’t actually fix it.

Prop. 27 is funded by Draftkings, FanDuel, BetMGM and other gaming companies. It’s supported by three Native American tribes, Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians and Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians. However, there are 50 Native American tribes and tribal organiza tions that oppose the proposition.

Not only will the proposition hurt tribes, but it will make gambling in California an even bigger problem than it already is.

REBECCA CARAWAY Journalism Senior

Prop. 27 is more complicated. While Prop. 26 would only allow sports betting in tribal casinos, Prop. 27 would allow online sports betting, which means instead of having to place pets at a sporting event, you

The bill is designed for the major ity of the revenue received from bets to go toward homelessness in order to make it more appetizing to voters — which is the main reason

The 50 tribes against Prop. 27 say if 27 passes it will threaten their self-ef ficiency and drive business away from their casinos. If people place bets online, they won’t need to go

only have to partner with one tribe, leaving behind the vast majority of California tribes. Not only will the proposition hurt tribes, but it will make gambling in California an even bigger problem than it already is. The California council of problem gambling esti mates that 1,200,000 Californians have a gambling problem. Gaming revenue reached $53 billion in the U.S. last year, and that number is expected to jump even higher with more states adopting online sports betting.

Prop. 27 is only on the ballot because of funding from wealthy out-of-state gaming companies, and those companies are the only ones that would benefit if 27 passes. Both the California Democratic Party and the California Republican Party oppose Prop. 27. If you care about California tribes and preventing more people from falling into debt through a gambling addiction.

CITY JURISDICTION MAY LIMIT ON-CAMPUS STUDENTS VOTING ELIGIBILITY, BUT THERE ARE STILL WAYS TO BECOME CIVICALLY ENGAGED.

BY JESSA ROSENTHAL

The municipal election is the local city election where two council member seats as well as the mayor seat are up for reelection.

“Cal Poly is part of the unincor porated area of the county and is represented by the County Board of Supervisors,” City Manager Derek Johnson said in an email to Mustang News.

Johnson told Mustang News that plenty of off-campus students do vote in local elections, and he encourages everyone, not just students, to vote.

While off-campus students may vote for the mayor or city council, on-campus residents are able to vote in the San Luis Obispo County elections, state elections and general elections, according to County ClerkRecorder Elaina Cano.

“If students wanted to vote here in the county of San Luis Obispo, they would have to be registered to vote here,” Cano told Mustang News. “So if they want to remain voters in their local home town, then their ballot is going to get sent to that address, and it won’t be sent to Cal Poly’s address.”

Students, on and off-campus, are a major part of the San Luis Obispo community, however, in years past before Cal Poly extended its on-cam pus housing to accommodate 8,462 as of Oct. 3 of this year, the issue of them voting was not a controversial issue, according to political science professor Michael Latner.

As of Sept. 9, there were 28,716 registered voters in San Luis Obispo city, according to the secretary of state report on registration. On-campus residents would make up 26.8% of that number which is almost a third of registered voters.

“There are moral and ethical reasons to argue that students should

get a vote such as living or working in a city,” Latner said.

The argument against on-cam pus students voting in local elec tions is due to the fact that they are considered “part-time citizens,” as most only live in San Luis Obispo during the school year and move away post-graduation, according to Latner.

Currently, Cal Poly is transitioning to a two-year housing requirement, resulting in fewer students being eligible to vote in local elections.

According to university spokesper son Matt Lazier, students who are registered to vote here can vote in county elections for positions such as county sheriff or district attorney.

“This is similar to what a student would experience if they lived off campus in a community other than San Luis Obispo. Or, more broadly, it would be the same experience for anyone who works in the city of San Luis Obispo but lives in a different community,” Lazier told Mustang News.

Regardless of where students live, the university encourages every one to vote, according to Lazier.

An election guide is housed on Cal Poly’s Dean of Students website — providing dates and information on the upcoming election, as well as guidance for how faculty can hold class discussions and teach about elections.

Voter turnout is the lowest among college-aged individuals, according to the U.S Census Bureau. Latner believes that the political demo graphic of San Luis Obispo would not change if on-campus residents voted, however, he predicts that we would see more concern about hous ing and residency regulations on the ballots if on-campus students could vote in city elections.

Although some Cal Poly students cannot vote in local elections, there are other ways to get involved and vote at the state or county level.

Olivia Momberg is the president of the Students for Civic Engagement Club on campus, whose mission is to inspire students to become civically engaged and get them registered to vote.

Momberg expressed frustration with her peers when it came to voting.

“A lot of students are in this weird in-between stage where they either want to be involved here politically or be involved in their hometown,” Momberg said.

Momberg is an out-of-state student and understands the difficulty that comes with transferring residency and changing voter registration status.

“I think it’s important that I trans ferred my residence here because I know I want to stay in this area long term,” Momberg said.

Momberg said she believes that students should vote in the commu nity where they feel more involved, even if it may not be where they go to college.

Getting students to register to vote is something the Cal Poly admin istration does well, according to Latner.

“It takes about two minutes to register to vote in California — [faculty] could just take a tiny portion of class time dedicated to registering students,” Latner said.

However, he said getting people — especially college students — actu ally voting is a whole other issue.

Starting conversations around what’s on the ballots is one way to get more people engaged, according to Latner and Cal Matters.

Momberg also believes there are

parcel viewer from https://www.slocity.org/government/open-govern ment/gis-mapping-division/maps.

other ways to be civically involved beyond just voting — whether it be starting conversations around local issues, volunteering for groups you’re passionate about or even just picking up a piece of trash.

“I’m not just gonna sit here and think about these things, but not do anything,” Momberg said.

While these may be examples of how to get involved, Momberg believes voting is how we enact real change.

“I just think it’s really important to be registered to vote and to actu ally vote no matter where that is. If you want to vote in your hometown, there are ways to get that ballot here and for you to vote,” Momberg told Mustang News.

The upcoming midterm or general election is an opportunity for both on and off-campus students to get involved and vote.

This election happens two years after the presidential election and decides who will represent your state in the U.S House of Representatives as well as congress. It also deter mines which political party will hold the majority in congress, according to the USA.gov website.

While voter turnout was at an all-time high in the last midterm election in 2018, midterm elections historically have lower turnout than presidential elections, according to the U.S Census Bureau.

Latner believes that when there are higher-risk issues on the ballot, more people come out to vote.

Most people, especially in California, don’t live in competi tive congressional districts where high stake issues are consistently up for debate. The competition in these districts is often what drives these elections and when competi tion is low, voter turnout, especially in midterm years tends to be low, according to Latner.

“When the president’s at the top of the ticket, the stakes are higher, and that’s going to draw more people to the polls,” Latner said.

With the upcoming elections, it’s important to remember that students who live on campus are not eligible to vote in the municipal elections due to city jurisdic tion ending at the entrance to campus on Grand Ave

DAVID YUN | CITY OF SLO

The map shows the city outline with SLO cut off.

VICKI NOHRDEN | COURTESY

DAWN ADDIS | COURTESY

Q&A with SLO’s State Assembly Candidates

the homeless in a lot of different ways, whether it’s just reaching out to somebody to help them sitting down hearing about who they are.

BY JEREMY GARZA

The State Assembly seat for District 30 is on the ballot in the upcoming Nov. 8 election. The district includes portions of San Luis Obispo County, Monterey County and Santa Cruz County.

After primary elections, Vicki Nohrden is running on the Republican ticket and Dawn Addis is on the Democrat ticket.

Nohrden has contributed to many community service efforts in the district. She has served as a court appointed special advocate for children and a family liaison in the juvenile justice system. She has also overseen claims of govern ment corruption, accountability and management as a member of the civil grand jury.

Addis is currently serving as a Morro Bay council member and co-founded the Women’s March in SLO in 2017. She is a former teacher and has a master’s degree in special education from San Francisco State University.

Ahead of the election, Mustang News spoke to both candidates to understand their platform and hear more about their opinion on local topics.

Q: Why did you decide to run for elected office?

Vicki Nohrden: In 2018, I decided to run for office, and I didn’t know a lot. I felt that the people were not being listened to, and it was really affecting all of us. People were talking about issues, but nobody was really doing too much about it. And so – this is the honest truth – I Googled how to run for office.

We have a lot of people who get elected, and then they go to Sacramento. I feel like they forget the people that they were elected to represent. They don’t even come out and do a campaign. They don’t come out and meet with the people. Many times they won’t even debate, and I feel that the people have a right to hear from their legislators from those who elected.

Dawn Addis: The Central Coast is expensive enough. I believe we need a leader who will work as hard as the people of the Central Coast do to protect what we love, and get our fair share from Sacramento. I am ready to do that alongside the coalition of teachers, nurses, firefighters, and more than 350 organizations, and elected and community leaders who support me.

We live in one of the best places in the world. The natural beauty is unrivaled and people come from all over the world to visit. This Central Coast is a major contributor to the California economy, but we aren’t getting back what we put in. I will work to change that.

Q: Housing and homlessness are major issues in the district, how will you tackle the issue if elected?

Nohrden: My husband and I had gone out for dinner, and I got my fish taco to go that I didn’t eat. I said to my husband, ‘Go and give this to some body instead of sticking it in a hotel room.’ There was a gentleman there, and he was very happy to receive it. There were some young people there as well. That’s very heartbreaking, isn’t it? We have been involved with

I have looked at many different homeless shelters across our district. One shelter that I do like is 40 Prado. They have a warming and sitting area. They do lunches and dinners, and they also have places inside for families.

More recently is Sun Street Centers, which works with drug addiction and alcohol. They bought a place right next to 40 Prado that is a medical detox center. I would like to put together a group of these organizations.

I believe that all children and families should be housed with dignity. Housing costs are rising far faster than wages–and we have to address that problem from both sides. I’ll work to increase the stock of affordable housing units while also increasing wages and economic development.

Additionally, while some people prefer to rent, home ownership is an incredibly important facet of lifting families out of poverty. That’s why I’ll work to increase home ownership tools.

Q: What would you say to constit uents if you could reach everyone in district 30?

Nohrden: I just want people to know that I’m just a real person. I care about our future. I care about how our government runs and how we’re going. We have problems in our community.

My top issue is helping our region recover economically from COVID-19.

need - including affordable prescrip tion drugs, expanded senior health services, better health insurance options for families and access to

VICKI NOHRDEN Republican candidate

Even before the pandemic, the Central Coast was facing a prospect of jobs that failed to provide families with the resources they needed to afford housing and the cost of living. This burden was pushing many out of the region and even out of the state. We can’t keep kicking the can down the road. We’ve run out of road and we’ve got to deal with issues. So homelessness and mental health are important to me as well as the energy moving forward for our state as well.

DAWN ADDIS Democratic candidate

reproductive care for all people.

As a special education teacher, it is my priority to invigorate public education and improve outcomes for students. I see an Assembly District that leads California in protecting our pristine coast, securing renew able energy investment and jobs, and addressing the climate crisis.

Addis: I grew up as a renter. My mom was a single parent, and my dad struggled with homelessness, incarceration, and addiction. We moved often due to affordability issues. Having permanent housing was something I yearned for and something I associated with safety and security.

Addis: My vision is a district where all people can afford a home, we end homelessness, provide the mental health support that commu nity-members need, increase wages and bolster economic development. I envision a district in which every resident has the healthcare they

I’m proud of the work we’ve put in to effectively build coalitions to serve our communities. I’m honored to be endorsed by local nurses, firefight ers, teachers, and leaders across San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. My ability to work well with others, to build trust and to forge relationships are assets that make me an effective leader.

For more information on each of the candidates, visit the election websites for Nohrden and Addis’ campaigns.

I believe we need a leader who will work as hard as the people of the Central Coast do to protect what we love.

I just want people to know that I’m just a real person. I care about our future. I care about how our government runs and how we’re going.

Playing a Game We Don’t Understand VOTING ANXIETY:

San Luis Obispo County voters have the care of students in their hands with upcoming school board elections.

passion the people have for these topics, confusion and anxiety are not something voters should be experiencing. When voters try to learn what propositions are actually calling for, they should be able to do so without the need of being fluent in political language.

BY JADA GRIFFITH

The safety, education and more for students is in the hands of San Luis Obispo County voters for the election on Nov. 8, 2022.

new task we must complete. We’re told it’s a part of our civic duty, and if we don’t vote, we are bound to be at a loss compared to those that do.

Throughout high school students are taught about the government, politics, how those in power are elected and how our votes matter in the grand scheme of the game. We may know the basics, but we were never taught how to truly understand what happens during these voting periods and elections; we don’t know where to start when looking at a ballot. The game of politics and voting is one not many are wellversed in.

Let’s talk about the most annoying section of the ballot – propositions. Props are written in ways no one, except those who wrote them, knows what the true stance of yes or no means. The wording is meant to confuse you. Sometimes even with the proper amount of research, voters are still left dumbfounded on how to proceed.

Only a small portion of voters are

are at a disadvantage compared to the politicians who know the game inside-out. Voting was meant to protect the players, but instead it now protects those who have their hands on the controls: the politicians and lobbyists.

The reasons why this country has so many elections, why there are propositions, is so the people are living in a country that serves them. This country was built on the ideal that the government is here to serve, not control. With the game in which voting has become, there is more control and deception than serving the common people.

With the current state of our country, there is more pressure than ever to cast a vote and advocate for certain state and county propositions and positions of power.

Climate change, racial equality and reproductive healthcare rights are just a handful of the issues featured in ballots in the coming weeks.

With such important issues coupled with the amount of

When voters try to learn what propositions are actually calling for, they should be able to do so without the need of being fluent in political language.

GRACE SCHWEITZER Opinion columnist

“The test scores just came out and no big surprise, but they dropped during the pandemic,” Gary Joralemon, candidate for Lucia Mar Unified School District, said. “So getting kids back up to speed is really important to me.”

Jorolemon is an instructor at Cal Poly and Cuesta Community College.

According to the Tribune, 47 people are running for school board seats across eight local districts. Only 19 seats will be filled.

The San Luis Obispo County Mom’s For Liberty Chapter has been actively involved in local school board meetings.

“Our mission is for parents to be in control of the education and health of their kids,” San Luis Obispo Moms for Liberty Chair Jennifer Grinager said.

As the chapter chair, Grinager has attended some local school board meetings herself.

some of the school boards’ actions. “I want to see a person who’s really going to pay attention to what the kids are needing, what’s going on with them, and being a voice for not just the parents, but the community at large,” Grinager said. “Right now, I feel like most of our boards are just a rubber stamp.”

Jorolemon also thinks that the school board needs to take more initiative for the interest of both parents and students.

“The vast majority of teachers in Lucia Mar were wonderful, and I trusted them with my sons when they were going through school, and I would trust him with my grandchildren,” Jorolemon said. “Having said that, there is a, what I think, is a very disturbing pattern of sexual abuse from staff to students.”

Jorolemon served as a chief deputy probation officer for San Luis Obispo County and as a juvenile hall superintendent. He believes these past experiences will help him accomplish his top priorities.

“I want to proactively address these abuse cases,” Jorolemon said.

Not only is it a right given to us, it is a duty we must fulfill. Each vote is essential in the grand scheme for the future of this country. The game must be made fair if we are all to participate and do so knowing what is happening.

“Right now in Lucia Mar, the board keeps shutting parents down,” Grinager said. “When they come to speak, they turn off their mic, and they’re preventing them from finishing their three-minute comment. And that’s a violation of the Brown Act.”

Many parents are frustrated by

Jorolemon said that unlike police officers, probation officers are fully armed, but “know how to respond to an active shooter” and have “specialized training in dealing with kids.”

Scan the QR code to learn more about the school board candidates on KCPR.

YOU LIVE

WHY NOT VOTE HERE? HERE,

BY EMMA HOFFMAN

I have seen enough ‘You should vote’ campaigns to last a lifetime, but none of them told me I should vote in my college town.

I get why these advertisements run, college students make up a major block of eligible voters, so it is import ant that I actually take the time to use my voice. My problem with this type of campaign is that they oversimplify the reasons why college students may not vote. College students are busy. Between clubs, class, home work, our social lives and so much more, we don’t always have enough time to stay up-to-date with some of the things going on around us.

For me, this meant that I did not know (until recently) I could vote in SLO, rather than my hometown in San Diego. I was intrigued by the opportunity to throw my hat into the ring, so to speak, to support some of the candidates and ideas I have heard mentioned so frequently.

Don’t worry, this is not me dictat ing who you choose to vote for or how you vote on certain propositions; this

is simply me asking you to consider voting in San Luis Obispo for future elections.

The core of my reasoning is this: Cal Poly students live in San Luis Obispo for nine months out of the year. I know you likely grew up in your hometown and have a deep love for the people and places, but voting in your hometown election means losing out on sharing your voice and being an active participant in the community where you spend most of your time.

San Luis Obispo has a population of around 47,000 people, according to census population estimates. The census includes people in the place they live and sleep most, so Cal Poly students are included in this number.

Let me restate that: even the census counts you as a member of the SLO community.

The student body is more than 20,000 individuals, meaning Cal Poly students make up almost half of the SLO population. We are participants in the economy, we attend protests at the courthouse and we shop at Trader Joe’s beside the stressed

soccer moms. We even celebrated the resolution of the Kristin Smart case that held the attention of SLO for 26 years, as if we were alive the year she went missing.

San Luis Obispo was once named the “Happiest City in America” by none other than Oprah, but that title is now largely used in the ironic sense and paired with a list of examples of bigotry.

EMMA HOFFMAN MN Opinion Writer

We should use elections to show case the role we play as community members and decide what we want the future of our city to look like. I am using this election season to reflect on my experience in San Luis Obispo so far. Since I am a junior, I moved into my South Mountain dorm just a few months after Tianna Arata was arrested at a Black Lives Matter protest, which brought SLO to the forefront of the national media. In the spring of the same school year, the city proposed a ban on tents in parks, which brought up concerns about the displacement of unhoused folks. Both of these events shaped my view of the city of SLO during my first

nine months here.

Now, I can look into the ongo ing aspects of those events (among many other key moments in city policy) and voice my opinion on how they have evolved. I have the agency to evaluate the people in power and affect change if I see fit.

That’s not to say that you have to look into those same events, or even approach this election in the same manner that I will. Maybe you have strong feelings on the way the pandemic was handled or you want to place your initial focus on the propositions. Maybe you don’t know where you stand on local issues.

Voting in SLO means that you have direct access to the candidates that you are voting on and your fellow citizens that you are voting for. You can set a meeting with a candidate, call their office or attend a city coun cil meeting to really get a sense of who they are. You can talk to a friend or neighbor or classmate about what their experience has been in SLO to inform your decision-making process.

Making an informed vote is import ant here in SLO where the political landscape is especially diverse. The county has a mixture of Republicans and Democrats, according to the county Clerk-Recorder office, which means that each individual vote may have more sway than in your hometown.

Students living on campus are not technically part of the city, so their ballots will be based on the county. However, the range of political affil iations is present on the city and county levels, so students living onand off-campus would be similarly powerful in this election.

For students who commute from other cities in the county, the chance to sway the votes is even higher.

While the majority of North County is registered as Republican and the majority of the Five Cities area is registered Democrats, these margins are tight. County-wide registration data shows the margin in Pismo Beach is just 105 people.

On top of these tight margins, recent redistricting means that this election will be different than previ ous years, as representatives who were once easily reelected will strug gle within a new demographic.

San Luis Obispo was once named the “Happiest City in America” by none other than Oprah, but that title is now largely used in the ironic sense and paired with a list of exam ples of bigotry. Your hometown may be incredibly important to you (I get it, mine means the world to me), but your vote could mean a great deal to progress in SLO.

Voting in San Luis Obispo for the midterms and future elections just may be a step toward making SLO the actual happiest city in America.

I have the agency to evaluate the people in power and affect change if I see fit.

EMMA HOFFMAN MN Opinion Writer

FILE PHOTO | MUSTANG NEWS

CONNOR FROST | MUSTANG NEWS