Oh no! The economy is all fucked up, quick lets have an emergency (knee-jerk) election to fix it all! After all it was just six months ago we had the biggest voter turn out in history! Why not capitalize on that momentum by setting up a bunch of meaningless state propositions and make it seem like the average voter will help! So can voters fix the state economy? Hey we were able to ban homosexual marriages in California! Yes we can!
Prop 1A – Rainy Day Budget Stabilization fund
Increases the size of the states “Rainy Day” fund and requiring “above-average” revenues to be deposited into it, for use during economic downturns. Fiscal Impact: higher state taxes.
This is complete bullshit. First of all, California’s budget is always in perpetual deficits. Every year in Sacramento they are always late in finalizing a budget, causing state ran institutions to stop running, laying off firemen, police officers, and sending out IOUs as paychecks to state employees. So when they finally do settle on a budget, they add billions of dollars in DEBT! So how can ANY money be put into this “rainy day” fund when there is never any revenues, let alone “above-average” revenues in the first place? How is “revenue” defined anyway?
Also when have we not been in a “economic downturn?” Seems like the whole country has been in an economic downturn since the ’80s. Sure the economy is really bad now, but it hasn’t been doing well for at least 25 years. And the fact that Prop 1A will raise taxes is an automatic “NO!” since you can’t TAX your self into economic prosperity.
Prop 1B Education Funding, Payment plan
Requires supplemental payments to local school districts and community collages to off set the budget cuts they did last year.
This sounds good, but they will just cut their budget’s again the next time they hammer out another state budget, and still create an all-time-high state deficit. Vote NO on this, it’s meaningless.
Prop 1C Lottery Modernization Act
Allows state lottery to be modernized to improve it’s performance with increased payouts, improved marketing, and effective management.
At first this seemed like a feeble attempt to revive a dying horse that needs to be shot. It’s hard to believe that we voted in the state Lottery about 25 years ago and it really hasn’t helped much. These days we almost forget there is a lottery/lotto anymore. The only time people give a shit is when the jackpot is huge which hasn’t happened since the ’90s, and lately it’s barely over 15 million.
If this passes it’s supposed to “modernize” the lottery, that started back in the ’80s. So, does that mean they still using old Commodore 64’s to manage the lottery? What exactly do they need to modernize? I do agree they need to improve marketing since like I said people just don’t care about the lotto/lottery anymore anyway. Hopefully if the Lottery gets more popular with better marketing, more money will funnel back into our schools, which is something they promised to do since it’s inception.
I’m going to vote yes on this since they are going to “borrow $5million from future lottery profits” so it’s like they borrowing money from themselves. But it’s really just taking more taxpayer money, in hopes the Lottery becomes popular again, and people buy more tickets. If this fails we won’t be any more worse off than we already are. If it passes then there’s a chance it can help, as long as whoever is going to work on “improving marketing” does a decent job. Just means we will see more lotto commercials on TV.
Prop 1D Children Services Funding
Temporarily provides greater flexibility in funding to preserve health and human services for young children.
I love it when they say “temporary” since laws pass usually end up lasting forever. I really don’t see how this is going to help when it states on the ballot that there will be reductions in funding for early childhood development programs, and that some how saves money when for the next 5 years. So kids born after 2014 are shit outta luck? None of this makes a whole lotta sense, and wording on this also mentions “difficult economy” as if it’s going to remind everyone we are already IN one, so people vote yes. Fuck it.
Prop 1E Mental Health Funding. Temporary reallocation
Helps balance state budget by amending the mental health services act of 2004. Transfer funds, for 2 years, to pay for mental health services.
This is worded EXACTLY like Prop 1D. It makes no sense, it’s forcing money out from somewhere into both 1D and 1E when we clearly have no money in the first place. More wording of “difficult economy” to cause knee jerk reactions for YES votes. Vote no, it’s horseshit.
Prop 1F Elected officials’ salaries preventes pay increases during budget deficit years
Encourages balanced state budgets by preventing elected members of Legislature, state wide constitutional offers, and the governor from receiving a pay raise.
HOT DAMN something that makes complete sense and is written in such away that you can’t possibly get confused as too a double meaning, nor does it seem meaningless. It’s not like any of our elected state officials NEED a pay raise when they are doing better off than any of their constitutes are doing. Plus they can probably live off thier reelection funds anyway! Since we have had a deficit in our state budget for as long as I can remember, they will never get a raise again. It would be better if they were getting PAY CUTS, which is probably a $1billion right there that can be used to hire more firemen. This is a no-brainer YES.
