I am the Executive Director of COLAB, the Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business of Santa Barbara County. My main job is to serve as a government watchdog, business and taxpayer advocate, and someone who communicates with the general public on a regular basis via radio shows and editorials in our local newspapers.
Having said all that, sometimes the opinions I express are my own and not necessarily those of the organization I represent. Such is the case today, as I am going to share with you my positions on the ballot propositions.
There are three tax measures on the ballot, Propositions 30, 38 and 39. I am going to vote no on these because I do not believe low tax rates is what is ailing the State of California. The fact is California, back before the crash of 2008, was enjoying record revenues coming into state coffers and they spent all that money and more! California routinely spends more money than it brings in, and truth be told, they are so indebted to government employees for their unfunded pensions, that none of the money generated by these tax measures is really going to create or restore services. Much of it will go to backfill budgets drained by pension obligations. Proposition 39 additionally devotes money to alternative energy; we already are spending enough on that! We need reform, not higher taxes. Vote No on these measures.
Proposition 31 is a con job. It promises reform, but it really is more of an attempt to reorganize government that in the end will reduce accountability to the public. Hidden in the language of the initiative is the creation of regional forms of government that will make it easier for local politicians to escape culpability from the local electorate. It will also mandate certain programs that we cannot afford. Vote No!
Proposition 32 is a tricky one. This has to do with limiting the influence of unions and corporations on elections. It does not ban their involvement, but it limits how the money is collected. On the one hand, I do believe unions in California have a disparate influence on politicians because they donate more money to campaigns than most everyone else combined. However, on the other hand, courts have recognized the rights of unions and corporations to be involved in campaigns, and have not taken lightly efforts to restrict the same.
Proposition 33 can be interpreted one of two ways. It either offers a discount to consumers who maintain continuous insurance coverage or it is justification to raise rates on those who don’t! The fact that one insurance company is eminently backing this makes me suspicious. I will be voting no.
Propositions 34 and 36 seek to abolish the death penalty and amend the Three Strikes law, respectively. I will be voting no on both of these. Keeping inmates on death row is not in and of itself expensive. It is the endless appeals and the costs associated with not executing cold-blooded killers that is causing the bills to pile up! I believe some crimes deserve the ultimate penalty from society and I believe some people are career criminals who have proven themselves incapable of reformation. It is sad, but true. Paying to incarcerate these people for life is exorbitantly expensive and the alternative of letting them out of prison just means more victims.
Proposition 35 should be defeated. I am all for throwing the book at sex and human traffickers, however, this bill would require convicted sweat shop owners to be registered as sex offenders?
Proposition 37 would require genetically modified foods to be labeled as such. These foods are safe, very common and they represent increased efficiencies, thereby eliminating hunger and the need for pesticides! Vote no!
Andy Caldwell is the Executive Director of COLAB and the host of the Andy Caldwell Show weekdays from 3-5 p.m. on AM1440.