CSC

Citizens For A Stronger California

2012 California Proposition Voter Guide

Prop 30 - NO!
Synopsis: Proposition 30 is a stop-gap tax measure that funds the proposed education budget cuts to the tune of $441/Student ADA. The tax increases that Prop 30 institutes are 1) A blanket Sales Tax increase of 1/4% (Bringing the State Sales Tax up to 8% from the current 7 3/4%) and 2) a 1%-3% state income tax increase on individuals and businesses makes $250,000 or more per year. *It is important to understand that Prop 30 does not generate any NEW revenue for schools. We at Citizens for a Stronger California feel very strongly that Prop 30 is bad for our state! California already has the second highest state income tax rates in the country. Over regulation and over taxation has driven business out of this state at an alarming rate. This is precisely the reason our legislators are dealing with a budget deficit year after year. Less business = less jobs! Less jobs = less tax revenue! Less tax revenue = education budget cuts. Dont try and fix the problem with what caused it in the first place!

Prop 31 - YES!
Synopsis: Proposition 31 puts limits on state legislators abilities to increase expenses while at the same time giving county and other local governments more control to plan and implement their public services. Prop 31 also implements a two-year state budget cycle. When we at Citizens for a Stronger California first read Prop 30 the phrase that immediately came to mind was NO BRAINER. Make our state government more accountable with regards to their reckless spending habits and give more control back to the local county and city governments!

Prop 32 - YES!
Synopsis: Proposition 30, as it states in the Official Voter Guide, prohibits unions from using payroll-deducted funds for political purposes. In other words, Unions cannot take money from union-dues collected and use those funds for political reasons. *It is important to note that the same rules apply to corporations. First of all, this is the biggest YES on the ballot period. Unions exploiting their workers for political purposes is disgusting and needs to stop! By the way, dont listen to the media when they talk about big corporations being exempt from this. Its tricky, double talk because private corporations are not allowed to withhold money from their employees in the first place.

Prop 33 - Yes!
Synopsis: Proposition 33 allows insurance companies to calculate discounted rates for drivers based on the drivers history of prior insurance coverage. In other words, if you maintain insurance coverage on your vehicle, you get a discount. Citizens for a Stronger California understands that carrying auto insurance in the State of California is the LAW! Play by the rules and get a discount.

Prop 34 - NO!
Synopsis: Proposition 34 repeals the death penalty and replaces it with life in prison without the possibility of parole (LWOP). Prop 34 also applies retroactively to all prisoners currently on death row. This was a tough one for all of us at Citizens for a Stronger California. Although we staunchly agree with capital punishment, the fiscal savings for the state if this proposition should pass cannot be ignored ($100 million in annual revenue to be allocated to law enforcement). But, at the end of the day our principles prevailed and we will be voting NO on Prop 34.

Prop 35 - Yes!
Synopsis: Proposition 35 institutes harsher penalties for individuals arrested for human trafficking. We at the CSC have gone through Proposition 35 with a fine toothed comb and can find no reason not to support it.

Prop 36 - NO!
Synopsis: Proposition 36 revises the current Three-Strikes Law so that life sentences are imposed only if the new felony conviction is serious or violent. It also allows current Three-Strikers in prison to be re-sentenced according to the new law. Voters passed the original Three Strikes Law back in 1994 by an overwhelming margin. We at the CSC understand that prisons are overcrowded, but releasing repeat-offender felons back into society is hardly the way to fix the problem.

Prop 37 - NO!
Synopsis: Proposition 37 requires labeling of raw or processed foods that have been genetically modified. It also prohibits the labeling of these foods as Natural. This is the most poorly written proposition on the ballot in 2012! CSC recognizes that the intention of Prop 37 is to inform the consumer what they are eating, but it places the burden of labeling onto the retailers and farmers including ma & pop grocers and small independent farmers. Large food manufacturers outside the state would not be subject to labeling guidelines. Local prices would skyrocket and local farmers and grocers will go out of business!

Prop 38 - NO!
Synopsis: Proposition 38 is a tax measure to fund education and early childhood programs. The taxes are implemented on all income earners in the state using a sliding scale (.4% increase for low income earners up to 2.2% increase for those making over $2.5 million). Unlike Proposition 30, Prop. 38 defines exactly where and how the additional revenue is to be spent. No, no and no! See the CSCs take on Prop 30 above. The same applies here!

Prop 39 - NO!
Synopsis: Proposition 39 will require multi-state businesses to calculate their California state income tax liability based on the amount of profits generated in California. Currently multi-state businesses can determine their California state income tax rates a couple of different ways in order to decrease their tax liability.

We at the CSC like the idea of a level playing field regarding corporate income tax structure in the state of California. A multi-state corporation should be held to the same tax structure as a corporation conducting business in California alone. However, when we saw that the $1 Billion in generated revenue from Prop. 39 will not be used to help balance our current budget shortfalls but fund NEW spending projects instead, our minds were made up. Its a NO on Prop 39.

Prop 40 - YES!
Synopsis: Proposition 40 approves the new State Senate Districts drawn up by the Citizens Redistricting Commission. This issue has already made it to the State Supreme Court and has been ruled as constitutional rendering this proposition worthless. Due to the recent Supreme Court ruling, CSC is advocating a YES vote on Proposition 40.