Tuesday presents another opportunity to perform your sacred
democratic duty: vote. Here’s a recap of our recommendations on the
various propositions and measures citizens of San Benito County
will consider March 2.
Tuesday presents another opportunity to perform your sacred democratic duty: vote. Here’s a recap of our recommendations on the various propositions and measures citizens of San Benito County will consider March 2.
Measure G
It’s a simple choice really.
If you favor punishing farmers and ranchers, if you favor harming San Benito County’s top industry, if you favor hefty spending of your tax dollars on lawyers’ fees, if you favor reducing the property tax revenue our county generates, if you can’t tell the difference between open space and farmland, then Measure G is for you.
If you don’t like those ideas – and we don’t – then vote no on Measure G.
Measure E
Gavilan Community College is asking voters to approve a $108-million bond to allow it to update its Gilroy campus and to expand its Hollister and Morgan Hill facilities. If Measure E receives the needed 55-percent approval for passage, it will add $15 per $100,000 of assessed value for real property.
A strong community college is vital to South Valley’s quality of life.
Approving Measure E means Gavilan will be poised for growth and the challenges the next several decades will bring.
Vote yes on Measure E.
Proposition 55
Prop. 55 asks voters to authorize the issuance of $12.3 billion in bonds to build and remodel schools statewide.
It’s highly unlikely that South Valley schools will benefit from this. In fact, if history is any guide, the process to get the funds will be cumbersome if not outright unfair.
This mammoth bond request comes at a terrible time. California simply cannot afford these bonds.
Vote no on Prop. 55.
Proposition 56
Prop. 56 would allow the state Legislature to pass a budget with a 55-percent majority. Under the current two-thirds approval system, the budget process is gridlocked, hampered by late budgets and producing uncertainty and delays for local governments and school districts. Worst of all, it has allowed a minority to dictate spending to the majority.
California’s current fiscal mess and high tax burden have occurred under that supposedly better system of two-thirds approval for budgets and taxes. It has obviously failed miserably. Let’s move closer to majority rule – the successful system designed by the founding fathers.
Vote yes on Proposition 56.
Propositions 57 and 58
No and no. These twin proposals are co-dependent: For either proposition to become law, both must pass.
Prop. 57 which would pay for California’s day-to-day operating expenses with a $15 billion, 15-year mortgage. It’s a plan that financial management 101 students would recognize as foolhardy.
Prop. 58 is a blatant political ploy and a waste of time, paper and effort. It purports to be a balanced budget requirement – but California already has a balanced budget requirement.
Sacramento is addicted to spending and it needs an intervention. That’s what the failure of Prop. 57 would provide. A 13.5-percent spending cut would end California’s budget crisis in 18 months. The state doesn’t need to spend billions of dollars a year in interest to finance $15 billion in bonds.
Vote no on Props. 57 and 58.
