By popular demand, I am sending this out again.

Following is my recommendation on ballot measures. I don’t want to be presumptuous, but am only doing this because so many people asked me to, and I promised I would. I particularly urge support of the school funding measures. Our investment in education is the best investment we can make in our future. California schools were the best in the world 40 years ago; now they trail badly in almost every category, substantially due to inadequate funding.

I particularly draw your attention to Measure E, which will complete the replacement and modernization program for all schools in the WCCUSD. It also attracts tens of million on matching funds from the State of California. Modern schools don’t guarantee good education, but they play a significant role in teaching and learning. We need every advantage we can get.

If you don’t agree with me on the ballot measures, I respect that, but please vote for me for City Council.

LOCAL MEASURES

• YES Measure A. Parcel Tax -- Contra Costa Community College District (2/3 Approval Required)
• To provide Diablo Valley College, Contra Costa College, Los Medanos College, and the Brentwood and San Ramon Centers with funds that cannot be taken by the state; maintain high quality education; support course offerings and instructional programs, including healthcare, technology, and public safety; increase access to support services, and prepare students for university transfer; shall Contra Costa Community College District levy $11 per parcel for six years with Citizens' Oversight, no funds for administrative salaries, and all funds spent locally?
• YES Measure E. Bond Measure -- West Contra Costa Unified School District (55% Approval Required)
• To make schools safe, complete essential health/safety repairs, qualify for State matching grants, shall West Contra Costa Unified School District upgrade schools for earthquake safety and handicap accessibility, remove asbestos, upgrade science labs, restrooms, vocational classrooms, technology and energy systems to reduce costs, install lighting and security systems, and acquire, repair, construct, equipment, sites and facilities, by issuing $360,000,000 in bonds within legal rates and bonding capacity limits with independent audits, citizen oversight, and no money for administrators' salaries?
• YES Measure G. Parcel Tax -- West Contra Costa Unified School District (2/3 Approval Required)
• To maintain quality education with local funding the State cannot take away, including protecting core academics -- reading, writing, math, science, attracting and retaining quality teachers, providing lower class sizes for the youngest children, preparing students for college and the workforce, and improving safety on and around school campuses, shall West Contra Costa Unified School District renew its existing parcel tax for five years, keeping the current rate, with no funds for administrator salaries, exempting seniors and requiring citizen oversight?
• YES Measure N. Business License Fee -- City of Richmond (Majority Approval Required)
• Shall an ordinance be adopted to impose a business license fee of one (1) cent per ounce of sugar-sweetened beverage served, provided, or traded by businesses in the City?
• YES Measure O. Business License Fee Advisory Measure -- City of Richmond (Advisory Vote Only)
• ADVISORY VOTE ONLY: Should the proceeds of any business license fee measured by the serving, providing, or trading of sugar-sweetened beverages be used to: have more after school sports programs, make them less expensive and provide adequate sports fields; allow healthier school meals, nutrition classes and cooking classes; provide medical care for children with diabetes who can't afford care; and support other worthy projects to prevent and treat diabetes and childhood obesity?

• YES  Measure P. Amend U.S. Constitution Advisory Measure -- City of Richmond (Advisory Vote Only)

• Advisory Vote Only: Should Richmond's congressional representatives be instructed to propose, and Richmond's state legislators instructed to ratify, an amendment to the United States Constitution to provide that corporations are not entitled to the Constitutional rights of real people, and that there should be limits on all spending in political campaigns, including ballot measures and "independent" expenditures?

 

STATE PROPOSITIONS

YES Proposition 30. Temporary Taxes to Fund Education. Guaranteed Local Public Safety Funding -- State of California (Initiative Constitutional Amendment - Majority Approval Required) Should the California Constitution be amended to (a) temporarily increase sales and personal income tax rates; (b) guarantee certain revenue transfers to local governments; and (c) eliminate state funding of certain mandates to local governments? NO Proposition 31. State Budget. State and Local Government -- State of California (Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute - Majority Approval Required) Should the state constitution and law be amended to require government performance reviews and two-year budget cycles, to prohibit the Legislature from creating certain expenditures unless offsetting revenues or spending cuts are identified, and to make changes in certain responsibilities of local government, the Legislature and the Governor? NO Proposition 32. Political Contributions by Payroll Deduction. Contributions to Candidates -- State of California (Initiative Statute - Majority Approval Required) Should unions, corporations, government contractors and state and local government employers be prohibited from using payroll-deducted funds, or in some instances their own funds, for political expenditures? NO Proposition 33. Auto Insurance Companies. Prices Based on Driver's History of Insurance Coverage -- State of California (Initiative Statute - Majority Approval Required) Should automobile insurance companies be permitted to offer a discount to drivers who have continuously maintained their insurance coverage, even if they change their insurance company? YES Proposition 34. Death Penalty -- State of California (Initiative Statute - Majority Approval Required) Should the death penalty be repealed and replaced with life imprisonment without possibility of parole when someone is convicted of murder with specified special circumstances? YES Proposition 35. Human Trafficking. Penalties -- State of California (Initiative Statute - Majority Approval Required) Should the definition of human trafficking be expanded, penalties for traffickers be increased, convicted sexual traffickers be required to register as sex offenders, and additional training for law enforcement officers be required? YES Proposition 36. Three Strikes Law. Repeat Felony Offenders. Penalties -- State of California (Initiative Statute - Majority Approval Required) Should California law be amended to provide that a life sentence should not be imposed for a third felony conviction unless the third conviction is for a serious or violent felony? YES Proposition 37. Genetically Engineered Foods. Labeling -- State of California (Initiative Statute - Majority Approval Required) Should labeling be required on foods containing genetically modified ingredients when such foods (whether raw or processed, plant or animal) are offered for sale to consumers in California? YES Proposition 38. Tax to Fund Education and Early Childhood Programs -- State of California (Initiative Statute - Majority Approval Required) Should California's personal income tax rates be increased during 2013-24 to provide funds for public schools, early childhood education programs, and state debt payments? YES Proposition 39. Tax Treatment for Multistate Businesses. Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Funding -- State of California (Initiative Statute - Majority Approval Required) Should the California tax code be changed to require multistate firms to pay income taxes based on a percentage of their sales in California, with roughly half of the resulting tax increase to be used to fund clean/efficient energy projects for five years? YES Proposition 40. Redistricting. State Senate Districts -- State of California (Referendum - Majority Approval Required) Should the current state Senate districts be retained?