State voters will go to the polls next Tuesday

On May 19, California voters will go to the polls to decide on a series of budget initiatives that attempt to solve the state's financial crisis.

Five of the measures involve some combination of raising taxes and reallocating existing funds. A sixth proposition freezes politicians' salaries in years when the state runs a budget deficit.

If the election were held today, only the salary issue would gain the simple majority needed to pass, recent polls indicate.

Proposition 1A calls for two more years of tax increases—$16 billion worth until 2012—to be tacked onto the two years of increases already passed by legislators in February. But the measure also imposes spending restrictions on politicians to help build a rainy day fund of up to12.5 percent of the state's revenues.

Education and taxes

State Sen. Tony Strickland (RThousand Oaks)—representing Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks and Oak Park—joins the majority of Republican legislators who oppose Prop. 1A.

"The Legislature just put on the largest tax increase in California history at a time when we have the highest unemployment rate since the Depression," Strickland said. "These tax increases continue the spiral of problems, and jobs are fleeing the state. We need fundamental change in Sacramento. If we truly want to fix the problems in the state, the No. 1 goal for everybody here needs to be to create jobs."

If propositions 1A and 1B pass, 1B would earmark $9.3 billion for kindergarten through junior college education in California.

The Legislature proffered 1B as a way to get the state's teachers to support 1A, but Conejo Valley School District Superintendent Mario Contini said he still wasn't sure which way to vote.

"To be honest, I'm very torn over all of the propositions because they are put forth under desperate conditions," Contini said. "Good thinking doesn't always occur under desperate conditions."

Education organizations and teacher unions also remain split.

State Superintendent of Education Jack O'Connell and the California Teachers Association favor Prop. 1A. The California Faculty Association and the California Federation of Teachers oppose it.

Gambling with the future

Prop. 1C asks voters to authorize $5 billion in new state borrowing secured against an expected increase in lottery revenues.

The Lottery Modernization Act would use better marketing and bigger payouts to boost the lottery's popularity.

Tax opponent Peter Foy said 1C isn't the solution to the state's issue of overspending.

"They already told us in 2003 that it was the last time they'd borrow against the lottery," said the Ventura County supervisor, who represents Simi Valley, Moorpark and surrounding areas. "They're going back on that promise. It just doesn't solve the basic problem when we're continuing to spend more money than we have."

Prop. 1D called 'penny wise and pound foolish'

Prop. 1D redirects revenue from 1998's Prop. 10, which earmarked tobacco tax money for healthcare and school readiness programs for children up to 5 years old. If 1D passes, $1.4 billion of Prop. 10 money would be used for debt service and other state operations during the next four years.

While educators seem to favor propositions 1A and 1B because of the funds given to the classroom, many stand opposed to Prop. 1D because of the cuts to Prop. 10, also known as the First 5 program.

"It is clear that we need budget stabilization and restoration of lost funds to public education," Contini said. "The statewide focus on 'preschools for all' was based on solid research of the long-term benefits, benefits which First 5 delivers every day. Loss of First 5 dollars may be penny wise and pound foolish over the long haul."

Prop. 1E also asks voters to take money from a previously passed proposition. Prop. 63, passed in 2004, collected an income tax surcharge and used the funds for special mental health programs. If 1E passes, about $450 million would be redirected away from Prop. 63 to fill holes in other areas of the budget.

"They want to 'temporarily redirect' that money, which is language for 'take,'" said Herb Gooch, a professor at California Lutheran University. "It won't kill all the programs, but it will kill some. It will starve others."

Make them pay

Of the six propositions, only Prop. 1F appears to have support in the polls. The measure prevents Sacramento politicians from receiving pay raises in years when the state has a deficit.

"I would think that our legislators should voluntarily take a pay cut if they are not doing their jobs," said Peggy Buckles, legislation chair for the 12th district PTA, which includes parentteachers councils from Calabasas west into Ventura County.

Future uncertain

Heavy opposition to the proposed tax increase is coming from the Howard Jarvis Association, which spearheaded the Prop. 13 property tax revolt 30 years ago.

"It's the wrong thing for California," said Foy, the state's Howard Jarvis co-chair. "We're going forward with continued tax increases when we're already the highest-taxed state. We can't keep continuing down this path. It doesn't do anything for Californians, especially when so many people are looking for ways to save money. It's killing them."

But killing the ballot measures isn't the answer either, said Calabasas Mayor Jonathon Wolfson.

"Personally, after much reflection on the difficult state of the state economy, I have decided to vote for the proposition package," Wolfson said.

"Although I feel that the solution presented in the propositions is flawed, not passing them would likely make the situation much worse."

Gooch, who's director of the Master of Public Policy program at CLU, recently held a series of forums to educate the public on the propositions. At one recent event at Moorpark College, Gooch said win or lose, the May 19 ballot measures offer no easy way out.

"Even if (the measures pass), it's still going to be a mess, just not as big of one," Gooch said. "If they all fail, there will almost undoubtedly be additional cuts."

"I don't think these propositions are anywhere near perfect, but this seems to be the best we can get from our legislators at this point," said Buckles, who worried what would happen if the measures fail.

"When I was in Sacramento in February, I asked every Assembly member and state senator I met with if they had an alternate plan if the propositions failed—not one of them from either party did," said Buckles, who serves on the Conejo Valley Unified school board.

The public speaks

Locals gathered April 15 in Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley to protest higher taxes and reckless government spending. Other "TEA" (Taxed Enough Already) Party rallies took place throughout the country.

"(Politicians) are spending more money than we have and then expecting us to clean it up," said Newbury Park resident Marla Antinoro.

Suzanne Freeman, a Thousand Oaks resident, said she's tired of the public handouts.

"I'm mad at what they are doing," Freeman said. "The hemorrhaging of all of our money has got to stop. I don't want all these government programs."

But the state can't move forward if it remains flat broke, proponents of the intiatives are saying.

The election is Tues., May 19, and the polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.