November decisions

On Tuesday, November 7, California voters will decide on 13 propositions, among other local measures. Most ask voters to approve bonds, and several are controversial.

Proposition 1B bond requests $20 billion to increase highway safety. The money is broken down by categories: $11.3 billion will go towards congestion reduction on highways and local roads by increasing capacity; $4 billion will go to purchasing buses, rail cars, and making safety enhancements to existing transit facilities; $3.2 billion will be given to projects improving the movement of goods and to projects improving air quality by reducing emissions related to transport of goods.

Proposition 1C, the Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006, requests $2.85 billion to provide shelter to homeless families, emancipated foster youth and battered women. This bond seeks to help elderly and disabled people to live independent lives, and low income families to purchase their first homes.

Proposition 1D asks for $10.4 billion in general obligation bonds to repair and upgrade public schools, including grades kindergarten through 12, community colleges and universities.

Flood prevention is addressed in Proposition 1E, which asks for $4.1 billion to repair, construct and maintain levees. The money would be divided by the Department of Water Resources between projects, with a limit of $200 million per project.

Proposition 86 will put a higher tax on tobacco products. This will raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $2.60. The money will go to hospitals to help pay un-reimbursed costs for emergency services.

The tax increase will also potentially reduce the number of packs consumed by Californians by 312 packs each year. The raised price of tobacco will reduce and prevent smoking among kids under the age of 17.

Proposition 87 is perhaps the most controversial of propositions on the ballot, following a series of televised ad campaigns both for and against it. The proposition asks for a tax to be leveed on oil produced in California– to be imposed on oil producing companies, not the people of California.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates that the tax would raise between $225 million and $485 million per year.

The proposition authorizes spending on research of alternative sources of energy within 10 years after the adoption of a strategic plan.

According to the California Budget Project, funds to seek alternative fuel sources could come from revenues from the proposed oil tax, revenues from the sale of bonds backed by oil tax revenues or a combination of the two.

Prop 1A – Earmarks gas sales tax funds for use on transportation programs only.

Prop 1B – $20 billion bond for safety improvements and repairs to state highways.

Prop 1C – $2.85 billion bond for low-income housing and shelters.

Prop 1D – $10 billion bond for public education facilities improvements.

Prop 1E – $4 billion bond for levee improvements and flood control.

Prop 83 – Mandates residency restrictions and GPS monitoring for sex offenders.

Prop 84 – $5 billion bond for safe drinking water, flood protection and park improvement.

Prop 85 – Requires parental notification for minors terminating pregnancy.

Prop 86 – Tax on cigarettes; provides funding for hospital emergency services.

Prop 87 – Tax on oil producers; provides funding for alternative energy research.

Prop 88 – $50 per parcel property tax; provides public school funding for K-12.

Prop 89 – Public funding for political campaigns; corporate tax increase.

Prop 90 – Limits ability of government to acquire private property and regulate land use.

Measure J – $190 million bond to renovate and build YCCD campuses.