2018 Voting Guide
California Candidates & Ballot Measures
Read more at votersedge.org & CALmatters.org
2018 Voting Guide
California Candidates
Info from votersedge.org
Candidates “Position”
Read more at votersedge.org & CALmatters.org
CA “Party”
priorities:
Kevin de Leรณn Senator priorities:
Move comprehensive immigration reform Pass Medicare for All
CA Democratic
Move a national clean energy plan
Dianne Feinstein Senator priorities:
Universal health care Ending gun violence
CA Democratic
DACA and immigration reform
Jared Huffman
District 2 — House of Reps. priorities:
Protecting environment, confronting climate change Better jobs, wages, universal healthcare & fair and responsible tax reform
CA Democratic
Protecting Democratic institutions & rule of law against unprecedented threats from the Trump administration
Dale K. Mensing
District 2 — House of Reps priorities:
Defend the Second Amendment Eliminate the Federal Reserve
CA Republican
Eiminate chemtrails
Anthony Mills
District 5 — House of Reps. priorities:
Campaign reform, National Debt, IRS, Street and Internet Preditors The Military Industrial Waste, Agriculture subsidies, Goverment finance of sports stadiums
CA No Party
Stopping the search for extra—terrestrial life
Mike Thopmson
District 5 — House of Reps. priorities:
Ensure criminals and the dangerously mentally ill don’t have easy access to guns, protect 2nd Amendment rights of law—abiding citizens Protect Social Security and Medicare and fight for comprehensive immigration reform
CA Democratic
Support our veterans and their families
John H. Cox Governor priorities:
Affordability — Bringing down cost of living for all Californians including housing, food and gas prices Housing — Reducing the cost of housing & making it easier for people to afford their rent/mortgage
CA Republican
Transportation — Easing traffic & reducing commute times, building & improving roads and highways
Gavin Newsom Governor priorities:
Defend CA’s leadership on LGBT/immigrant/worker rights, climate change, and sensible gun/marijuana laws & fight back against President Trump
Invest in affordable housing and other job—creating infrastructure
CA Democratic
Increase investment in public schools, implement a new job—training system to equip workers for the 21st century & push forward to reform CA criminal justice system
Ed Hernandez Lieutenant Governor priorities:
Debt—free college for all students. Reinvesting in our K—12 public schools, community colleges, public universities, and our vocational/ career tech programs.
Ensure that California embraces policies that protect local and state agencies, including law enforcement, from becoming de facto immigration agents for the federal government. I fully support the reinstatement of DACA.
CA Democratic
Expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare, and I will continue fighting for universal healthcare.
Eleni Kounalakis Lieutenant Governor priorities:
Advance policies to build more affordable housing, reform healthcare, and prepare California’s economy for the 21st Century as the chair of the Commission for Economic Development.
Fight any expansion of offshore oil drilling as a member of the State Lands Commission.
CA Democratic
Work tirelessly to lower the cost of a UC and CSU education as a member of those important boards.
Mark P. Meuser Secretary of State priorities:
Clean up California’s bloated voter rolls. California has 11 counties with over 100% voter registration
Update California’s business registration system so it does not take 3 weeks to register a business
CA Republican
Cancel from the voter rolls those who are not eligible to vote like those who have passed away, have moved, or are non—citizens
Alex Padilla Secretary of State priorities:
Protecting voting rights Supporting California jobs and small businesses
CA Democratic
Increasing campaign finance transparency
Betty T. Yee Controller priorities:
Maintain high levels of accountability and oversight of the state’s finances.
Address the effects of global climate change with respect to the risks and the opportunities they pose for California’s economy.
CA Democratic
Address the changing nature of work with the growth of the gig economy and its impacts on state revenues.
Konstantinos Roditis Controller priorities:
Use the authority of the Controller’s office to root out waste, fraud, and abuse.
Remove excess authority and ability to tax from Sacramento and bring it to the local level by implementing my tax plan called Trickle—up— Taxation. Creates local control over overbearing centralize government
CA Republican
Audit and use all legal authority to cut funding to government waste like the high—speed rail.
Fiona Ma Treasurer priorities:
Manage/safeguard our state’s assets by investing wisely in sound investments vehicles with full transparency and accountability.
Continue to aggressively combat the Underground Economy to ensure everyone pays their fair share of taxes to fulfill our commitment to our retirees & provide quality/accessible education, healthcare, affordable housing to all.
CA Democratic
Promote good corporate governance models and hold corporations accountable for their actions and don’t gouge/take advantage of people to meet their bottom lines or to make excessive profits.
Greg Conlon Treasurer priorities:
Reform Public Pension Unfunded Liabilities of over $300 billion by starting a new Defined Benefit Pension plan for new employees only.
Work to eliminate the $800 minimum State income tax to help start—up companies get on their feet.
CA Republican
Improve the State’s Credit Rating from fourth to last to an acceptable rating of AA or above by addressing the unfunded pension liabilities problem.
Xavier Becerra Attorney General priorities:
Prosecuting violent street gangs and taking thousands of guns off our streets. Fighting predatory for—profit colleges and suing Trump— and won—to stop him from gutting our air quality protections and restricting women’s access to birth control. Protecting the Dreamers—immigrants brought to the U.S. as young children. And, I’m in court protecting Californians’ right to health care.
CA Democratic
Taking on sex traffickers, the NRA, Big Oil, Big Banks and the Trump Administration.
Steven C. Bailey Attorney General priorities:
Restore the rule of law and enforce the law fairly and equally for all persons
Stop the continued dismantlement of California’s criminal justice and public safety institutions such as the ‘sanctuary state’ charade and the elimination of cash bail
CA Republican
Reverse past soft—on—crime policies that have led to a rise in crime across California
Ricardo Lara
Insurance Comissioner priorities:
Protecting homeowners whose property survives a wildfile from cancellation and nonrenewal of home insurance for one year — closing a major loophole in law.
Single—payer, universal healthcare. Through his Health for All Kids Act, 250,000 low—income California children receive full—scope Medi—Cal regardless of immigration status.
CA Democratic
Using insurance to protect our forests and wetlands that guard communities from impacts of climate change.
Steve Poizner
Insurance Comissioner priorities:
Read more at votersedge.org & CALmatters.org
CA No Party
No priorities listed
Tony K. Thurmond
Superintendent of Public Instruction priorities:
Believes schools should teach students creativity and critical thinking skills, including improved arts and music education. Ensure every California student has the resources they need to develop their capabilities in science, technology, engineering, and math to succeed in the 21st century economy.
CA No party listed
Leading fight against Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos’s anti—education agenda. Keeping public schools public, protect California’s ban on school vouchers, & eliminate for—profit charter schools.
Marshall Tuck Superintendent of Public Instruction priorities:
Prioritizing educators to stop our teacher shortage.
Address inequity in our schools by differentiating support for our most vulnerable students (i.e., low— income, English Learners, students with disabilities, etc.)
CA No party listed
Reduce bureaucracy to spur innovation and creativity and to get more money into our classrooms.
Malia Cohen District 2 — Board of Equalization priorities:
Increase public input in how taxpayer dollars are spent, for instance by advocating to make the Tax Payer Bill of Rights hearing occur quarterly Ensure all individuals and businesses, regardless of which county they’re in, are guaranteed an equitable tax rate
CA Democratic
Prioritize holding special interests accountable, ensuring the newly created Department of Tax and Fee Administration collects and distributes taxes equally
Mark Burns
District 2 — Board of Equalization priorities:
Ensure that all Californians receive fair and equal treatment under our current tax laws.
Restore the functionality and purpose of the Board of Equalization
CA Republican
Protect property tax benefits under Prop 13, 60, 90, and 110
Veronica Jacobi District 2 — California State Senate priorities:
Creating affordable housing near mass transit and very efficiently built and all electric, designed with non flammable materials, and edible gardens and sprinklers to withstand fires from high heat wildfires. Creating plans and incentives for business and individual rainwater storage, gray-water reuse, food forests and permaculture systems.
CA Democratic
Addressing Climate Disruption at the speed and scale needed while multi-solving our other challenges.
Mike McGuire
District 2 — California State Senate priorities:
Read more at votersedge.org & CALmatters.org
CA Democratic
No priorities listed
Matt Heath
District 2 — California State Assembly priorities:
Heavy CA Gas tax burden cripples the middle class and drives businesses and jobs to neighboring states.
More efficient and effective water transport & new water storage are critical in conserving water. Developing new technology that benefits our agricultural economy while protecting habitats.
CA Republican
California ranks near the bottom for road conditions, yet we have the highest Gas Tax in the country.
Jim Wood
District 2 — California State Assembly priorities:
Reforming prescribing practices; automatic prescribing of naloxone, to immediately reverse effect of overdose Improving healthcare quality and access is my top priority. Working to achieve universal health coverage for all Californians
CA Democratic
Fire Recovery/Rebuilding. Prioritizing fire victims w/ insurance reform, rebuild protections, price gouging prevention, supplemental funding for affected schools, improving/replacing communication systems
Pia Banerjea Board Member — Healdsburg Unified School District priorities:
Maintain fiscal accountablity by prioritizing those expenditures which improve student success. Communicate with teachers, busy parents, and students consistently so that I can best represent their concerns and ideas.
CA No Party Listed
Improve access to educational opportunities for all students by implementing research-based programs.
Board Member — Healdsburg Unified School District priorities:
No priorities listed
Read more at votersedge.org & CALmatters.org
CA No Party Listed
Rose McAllister Mike Potmesil Donna Del Ray
Sandy Dobbins
Board Member — Windsor Unified School District priorities:
Provide resources in support of enhanced socioemotional learning opportunities so students are better prepared socially and emotionally as well as academically to pursue their life goals Shepherd through the roll-out process for our Visual and Performing Arts plan, ensuring access to music and the arts for every Windsor student
CA No Party Listed
Use extensive knowledge of District finances and budgeting process to provide rich and diverse educational opportunities for ALL students, whether they are on a college or career track
Rich Carnation
Board Member — Windsor Unified School District priorities:
Manage school finances and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability in light of $2 million projected deficit for Windsor Unified School District (WUSD). Engage with students and school administrators to enhance programs focused on academics, STEM, the arts, athletics and career-ready mathematics and finance.
CA No Party Listed
Attract and retain high-quality teachers to educate our youth.
Eric Heitz
Board Member — Windsor Unified School District priorities:
Maintain fiscal accountability and balanced budgets
Promote and support alternative education and dual immersion charter school options.
CA No Party Listed
Ensure safe schools, education excellence, and quality student enrichment opportunities
Warin J. Parker Stephanie Ahmad Board Member — Windsor Unified School District No priorities listed
Read more at votersedge.org & CALmatters.org
CA No Party Listed
priorities:
Rosa Reynoza City Council — Town of Windsor priorities:
Create an environment where residents are empowered to participate in the community building process. Build housing for all.
CA No Party Listed
Increase the Towns transparency by creating a user friendly website and being more proactive on social media.
Dominic Foppoli City Council — Town of Windsor priorities:
Managing growth. Will only approve projects that add value to current Windsor residents, with emphasis on only local high-quality development & reducing traffic congestion. Continuing support to keep Windsor’s per capita lowest crime rate, best roads, some of the lowest rates of homelessness, & the strongest local economy with healthiest budget/reserves in county
CA No Party Listed
Emergency preparedness/public safety. Help Windsor become more fully prepared for any natural disaster it might face in the future.
William Forrest City Council — Town of Windsor priorities:
Ensure safe vibrant neighborhoods, maintain and enhance our existing parks and provide quality public services to all members of our community. The housing crises was worsened by the recent fires. It is imperative that we provide resilient affordable well planned housing immediately.
CA No Party Listed
Provide affordable housing while maintaining and improving our infrastructure.
Esther Lemus City Council — Town of Windsor priorities:
Addressing the community’s affordable and workforce housing concerns. Working with law enforcement to promote and enhance public safety.
CA No Party Listed
Alleviating traffic congestion and parking issues.
Gina Fortino Dickson City Council — Town of Windsor priorities:
Collaboration with School District; as two of the largest employers in Windsor, these two entities can work together to provide more effective, seamless services to the community. Equity Balance; We need a council that equitably represents the community. More women and minority representation is integral to that end.
CA No Party Listed
Public Safety; community policing, solvent fire department, emergency response planning
Mark Millan City Council — Town of Windsor priorities:
Strengthening our local economy and creating good-paying jobs.
Managing growth and protecting our small-town character.
CA No Party Listed
Supporting efforts to provide more workforce housing and investing in our future.
City Council — Town of Windsor priorities:
No priorities listed Read more at votersedge.org & CALmatters.org
CA No Party Listed
Sam Salmon Dylan Harper Tari Nix Luis M. Diaz
There’s nothing here.
2018 Voting Guide
California Ballot Measures
Info from CALmatters.org
Ballot Measures
CA
Read more at votersedge.org & CALmatters.org
$4 Billion Bond for Housing
Proposition 1 About:
Gives CA permission to borrow $4 billion to fund affordable housing construction & rental and home loan subsidies. The money would be used to build/renovate rentals ($1.8 bil), offer home loan assistance to vets ($1 bil), construct housing in dense urban areas & near public transit ($450 mil), offer down payment assistance and other aid to low- and moderateincome homebuyers ($450 mil) & provide loans and grants for agricultural workforce housing development ($300 mil).
Cost:
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the state’s nonpartisan budgetary scorekeeper, paying back the bond with interest will run the state government an extra $170 million annually for the next 35 years on average. This is roughly equivalent to about one-tenth of 1 percent of the state’s current general fund—or what the state spent on its juvenile justice program this year. The total cost of the bond is expected to be $5.9 billion. In the fall of 2017, state lawmakers went all in on housing, passing a cluster of bills aimed at subsidizing and streamlining new development. This bond, introduced by state Sen. Jim Beall from San Jose, was the product of one of those bills.
CA Proposition 1
Why:
Mental Health Money for Housing
Proposition 2 About:
Give CA permission to borrow $2 billion to fund supportive housing (affordable housing with on-site social and medical services) for those suffering with mental illness. Paid for with money previously set aside for county-run mental health services.
Cost:
If Prop. 2 passes, the state will divert roughly $120 million per year away from designated mental health treatment funds to pay off the supportive housing bond. In other words, the state would be spending this money regardless.
In 2004, voters approved Proposition 63, which hiked the income tax on millionaires by 1% to fund the expansion of county-run mental health services and related programs. Twelve years later, state lawmakers passed a bill to borrow $2 billion to fund permanent supportive housing and to pay for it with some of the millionaire’s tax money. But a Sacramento lawyer sued, arguing that voters didn’t have the right to issue those bonds without voter approval and that the Prop. 63 dollars are meant for bread-and-butter mental health services, not housing construction. Counties are now sitting on millions of dollars reserved for the homeless and are unsure how to spend it. Rather than wait out the court battle, state lawmakers are taking the question to voters.
CA Proposition 2
Why:
$8.9 Billion Water Bond
Proposition 3 About:
Give the state permission to borrow $8.9 billion to fund watershed protection ($2.5 billion), water supply improvements including wastewater treatment ($2.1 billion), habitat restoration ($1.4 billion), groundwater management ($1.1 billion), flood protection projects ($500 million), as well as upgrades and repairs to traditional water infrastructure, like canals and dams ($1.2 billion).
Cost:
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the state’s nonpartisan budgetary scorekeeper, paying
back the bond with interest will run the state government an extra $435 million annually for the next 40 years on average. This is roughly equivalent to about one-third of 1 percent of the state’s current general fund—or a little less than what the state spent on its Department of Fish and Wildlife this year. The total cost of the bond is expected to be $17.3 billion. No, this isn’t déjà vu. On June 5th, California voters passed a $4.1 billion bond to fund water infrastructure improvements, as well as new parks. That proposition was placed on the ballot by state lawmakers in part to discourage outside groups from asking voters for even more money in November. And yet here we are. Unlike the June proposition, this bond is much bigger and its funds will be entirely dedicated to water projects.
CA Proposition 3
Why:
Children’s Hospital Bond
Proposition 4 About:
Give the state permission to borrow $1.5 billion to fund renovations, expansions, and upgrades at hospitals that treat children. Most of the funding is reserved for the state’s eight private non-profit children’s hospitals ($1.08 billion) and the five hospitals run through one of the University of California campuses ($270 million).
Cost:
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the state’s nonpartisan budgetary scorekeeper, paying back the bond with interest will run the state government an extra $80 million annually for the next 35 years on average. This is roughly equivalent to six ten-thousandths of the state’s current general fund—or what the state Legislature spent on its legal department this year. The total cost of the bond is expected to be $2.9 billion. The California Children’s Hospital Association regularly turns to the taxpayer for help. In 2004, voters backed a $750-million bond to fund similar infrastructure investments. Four years later, they approved another $980-million in borrowing. This year’s proposal looks pretty similar—only bigger.
CA Proposition 4
Why:
Portable Real Estate Tax Break
Proposition 5 About:
Allow older or disabled homeowners to take a portion of their lowered property tax base with them if they sell their home and move. Here’s how it works: someone who buys a more expensive house would no longer be required to pay property taxes based on the full market price of the new home, as they would be now in many cases. Instead, the new taxable amount would only increase by the difference in market price between the new and old home.
Likewise, someone who moves to a less expensive house would actually see their property fall, dodging a higher property tax bill based on the full market rate of the new property. Instead, their assessed value would decline by the percentage difference in price between the new and old property. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the state’s nonpartisan budgetary scorekeeper, local governments and school districts would lose $2 billion annually ($1 billion each) in foregone tax revenue. The state government would be required to backfill most of these costs, increasing state spending by a roughly equivalent amount. Some school districts in areas with high property taxes (roughly 5 percent across the state) would not be made entirely whole.
CA Proposition 5
Cost:
Proposition 5 Continued
Why:
Ever since voters passed Proposition 13 in 1978, property taxes have been calculated based on a home’s purchase price, rather than its current market value. That has kept property tax bills low for longtime homeowners despite skyrocketing real estate prices, but it also discourages people from moving, since property tax assessments are usually reset when you buy a new home. The California Association of Realtors, the folks in the business of selling homes, introduced this ballot measure last fall arguing that it will free up necessary inventory for young families by making it easier for empty nesters to downsize.
CA Proposition 5
There’s nothing here.
Gas Tax Repeal
Proposition 6 About:
Repeal a recent increase in the gas tax and other fuel and car fees and require voter approval for all transportation-related tax increases in the future. Taxes to be rolled back include a 12-cent hike in the gasoline excise tax, a 4 percent increase in the diesel sales tax, as well as a new annual vehicle fee based on the value of the car or truck.
Cost:
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the state’s nonpartisan budgetary scorekeeper, the state government would lose $5.1 billion annually in
foregone tax revenue. Most of this money now goes to road and highway repair and maintenance, along with public transportation and mixed-transportation projects. There would also likely be longer term fiscal impacts, as state and local lawmakers would have a much more difficult time raising revenue from gas and car-related sources in the future. California roads are in rough shape, the product of years of deferred maintenance and recession-era budget cutting. Last year, lawmakers passed a bill to raise the state tax on gasoline for the first time in over two decades to fund repairs, maintenance and new transit projects and infrastructure upgrades. The bill raised taxes on diesel and introduced a new car fee. This led Republicans and anti-tax advocates to immediately begin mobilizing.
CA Proposition 6
Why:
Daylight Savings Time Forever
Proposition 7 About:
Repeal the 1949 law that created Daylight Savings Time. If voters approve Prop. 7, the Legislature would then be able to pass a law with a two-thirds majority finally nixing the biannual tradition of moving clocks backward and forward every spring and fall. That is, assuming the federal government let’s us get away with it.
Cost:
Not much. Messing with our clock could affect energy consumption and worker productivity, but it’s not clear how or by how much.
Why:
CA Proposition 7
Democratic Assemblyman Kansen Chu of San Jose carried a bill the Legislature passed to place the measure on the ballot. Gov. Jerry Brown’s signing statement declared “Fiat Lux!”—the motto of his alma mater UC Berkeley. It’s Latin for “Let there be light.”
Dialysis Clinic Profit Pruning
Proposition 8 About:
Require companies operating dialysis clinics to payback any profits over 15 percent of qualifying business costs. Payments would be made to insurance companies or to individuals who pay out of pocket.
Cost: Probably not much, though depending on how dialysis clinics respond to the law, state and local governments could see fairly small changes to their health care budgets or income tax revenues.
Why:
CA Proposition 8
The majority of California dialysis clinics, which serve patients suffering from kidney failure, are owned by two for-profit companies: DaVita Kidney Care and Fresenius Medical Care. The Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers have had their sights trained on the industry for years. They’ve sponsored legislation and floated ballot measures to mandate higher staffing ratios and regulate insurance payments.
Bringing Back Rent Control
Proposition 10 About:
Allow cities to introduce new restrictions on market rents or expand existing rent control policies.
Cost:
It depends. If cities across the state enact new rent control laws or expand old ones, that could result in less construction and reduce rental property values, resulting in lower tax revenue. But it could also allow existing tenants who save on lower rent to spend
more on consumer goods, resulting in higher sales tax proceeds. And then again, it’s possible that very few cities will respond with new laws at all, in which case the effect will be negligible. In 1995 the California Legislature passed a statewide clamp down on rent control. Cities could no longer restrict rent increases on apartments built after 1995 or on any single family homes. Plus, any city that wanted to have rent control on the books had to allow landlords to raise rents as soon as a tenant moves out. Now that the state is facing an affordable housing crisis, some housing advocates want to give cities a tool to put a legal lid on rents.�
CA Proposition 10
Why:
Paramedic Break Time
Proposition 11 About:
Continue to allow private ambulance services to require their emergency medical service employees to remain on call during meal and rest breaks. Also guarantees technicians additional training and some paid medical health services.
Cost:
Ever so slightly lower EMT contract costs will likely save local governments some money.
Two years ago, the state Supreme Court ruled that security guards cannot be required to keep their radios on and remain on call while enjoying their meal or break time. A number of private ambulance firms are now facing class action lawsuits in California courts over similar break time violations, including American Medical Response, the Colorado-based company backing the initiative. Those cases are still pending, but the companies involved want a specific exemption written into law and to make sure they aren’t held liable for past practice.
CA Proposition 11
Why:
Bigger Cages for Farm Animals
Proposition 12 About:
Places specific size requirements on the coops and cages used to contain breeding pigs, veal calves, and egg-laying hens. The new standards require at least: - 43 square feet of floor space per calf by 2020 - 24 square feet of floor space per pig by 2022 - 1 square foot of floor space per hen by 2020 and cage-free by 2022 It also requires all egg-laying hens be raised in specified “cage-free� conditions by 2022. California businesses would be prohibited from selling any
food products that come from animals not raised in compliance with this law, even if from out of state.
Cost:
It may increase enforcement costs and decrease tax revenue from farms that could suffer under new regulations. In 2008, voters passed Proposition 2, an initiative sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States, which required that farm animals be allowed to stand up and turn around in their cages. After Prop. 2 passed, commercial egg growers insisted that it did not require them to go cagefree. Proposition 12, again backed by the Humane Society, would add new, more specific requirements by including square-footage specifications. A cagefree requirement will be phased in after four years.
CA Proposition 12
Why:
