As we eagerly await the Presidential Election of 2016, Californians brace for the umpteen ballot measures that they will need to sift through. This year is no exception, as California voters will find seventeen measures put before them at the election on November 8, 2016. Since 1996, the average number of California ballot measures has been 18 in an even numbered election year. California voters, whether you vote to raise the Tobacco tax or make the private hospital fee permanent, one thing is assured, your vote will have a huge say in the future of the state of California. So do your research, study the facts, and make up your best choice in the November elections. In this article we have covered 5 critical ballot measures, but critical are also the remaining 12 that you will grapple with. Study, them analyze them and make up your choice that will work best for your local community and California. Thank you for taking the time to cast your vote. ABOUT RISHI: Rishi is an elected city councilmember in Saratoga, CA and politically active in the state of California. Rishi believes in taking a stance, making choices and that being the spectator is not as fun as playing the actual game. You can reach Rishi via his website www.RishiKumar.com.

1. Our 2016 California Ballot Measures AYE or NAY?
By Rishi Kumar
As we eagerly await the Presidential Election of 2016, Californians brace for the
umpteen ballot measures that they will need to sift through. This year is no exception,
as California voters will find seventeen measures put before them at the election on
November 8, 2016. Since 1996, the average number of California ballot measures has
been 18 in an even numbered election year. This year, fifteen measures were put on
the November ballot by citizens through signature petitions and two by the legislature.
The source of these ballot measures stem from 1911 when Governor Hiram Johnson,
concerned with the influence of the corrupt politicians who were in cahoots with the
powerful rail road companies, looked at a constitutional amendment to give citizens a
more powerful voice. But, it did not work out exactly as he intended, as now Billionaires
influence the outcome of ballot initiatives, even fund it. Read on, there are plenty of
examples from this year’s election itself as to how.
Let us take Prop 54 that would prohibit the California Legislature from passing any bill
unless it’s been published online for at least 72 hours prior to the vote. About 99% of
the $10.6 million raised has come from Charles T. Munger Jr., a Stanford physicist and
the son of the billionaire vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. Proposition 53 that
would need voters to approve deals that require taxes to pay for public infrastructure
bonds is completely funded ($4.5M) by Dean and Joan Coropassi, farmers from
Stockton. Billionaire investor Tom Steyer has given $5.5M towards the Proposition 56 or
the Tobacco Tax.
How much has been spent on these ballot measures? As of September end, support
and opposition campaigns had amassed over $390 million, only $85M shy of a record
break. Staggering! In other words, the source of funds behind a measure can be pretty
telling for the voters, instead of getting sweet-talked by the descriptive words.
Along with California, 23 other states and Washington DC provide their citizens an
opportunity to change state law / constitution by just gathering signatures. In
California, signatures of only 8% of the voters who voted in the last governor’s election
can ask for a constitutional amendment to be placed on the ballot and 5% for proposing
a initiative statutes. Back in 2014 the Ballot initiative process was loosened up to allow
withdrawl of a fully vetted measured even after it made it to the ballot to promote
negotiations and compromise, but likely created opportunity for bargaining ploy.
In the 2016 elections, Californian voters are going to wrestle with topics such as
Marijuana legalization, gun control, condoms in porn, plastic bags, death penalty, plastic
bags, gun control, tobacco taxes and many more. Let us look at a few key ballot
measures that have been the topic of discussion at political fundraisers and political club
gatherings lately.

2. PROP IMPACTS Description
51 Education
$9 billion in bonds for education and schools
Funded by: CALIFORNIA'S COALITION FOR ADEQUATE
SCHOOL HOUSING ($2.1M)
CALIFORNIA BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION ($1.5M)
CA Association of Realtors ($250K)
52 Healthcare
Voter approval of changes to the Private hospital fee program to
fund MEDICAL etc
Funded by: $60M Hospitals and hospital associations, labor
unions etc
53 Elections
Require voter approval whenever the state wants to pay for a
public works project using more than $2 billion in revenue
bonds
Funded by: Completely funded ($4.5M) by Dean and Joan
Cortopassi, farmers from Stockton.
54
Govt.
Transparency
Prohibits the California Legislature from passing any bill unless
it’s been published online for at least 72 hours prior to vote.
Funded by: About 99% of the $10.6 million raised has come
from Charles T. Munger Jr., a Stanford physicist
55 Taxes
Extends higher personal income tax increases on incomes over
$250,000 till 2030
Funded by: Almost $53 million, primarily from the California
Assn. of Hospitals and California Teachers Assn.
56 Tobacco
Increase the cigarette tax by $2.00 per pack
Funded by: Billionaire investor Tom Steyer has contributed
$5.5M while Phillip Morris+big tobacco companies have
contributed $56M into the No on 56 campaign
57 Trials The details are covered in this article
58 Education
Flexibility to schools and parents to choose how to teach English
learners, schools no longer be required to teach them in English-
only programs
Funded by: $1.7M Sponsored by Teachers and Service
Employees Organizations
59
Campaign
finance
The details are covered in this article
60 Movies Require the use of condoms in pornographic films

3. PROP IMPACTS Description
Funded by: $4.5M LA resident Michael Weinstein of AIDS
Healthcare Foundation whose health care foundation has a $1.3
billion budget
61 Healthcare
YES supports regulating drug prices by requiring state agencies
to pay the same prices that the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) pays for prescription drugs.
Funded by: Drug companies, are spending $90 million to stop
Proposition 61
62 Death penalty The details are covered in this article
63 Firearms The details are covered in this article
64 Marijuana The details are covered in this article
65
Environment/
Business
regulation
California Plastic Bag Ban Veto Referendum or The Pro-Plastic
Bag proposition
Funded by: $6M by Plastics industry for YES on 65 and No on
67
66 Death penalty The details are covered in this article as part of Prop 62
67
Environment/
business
regulation
Prohibition on plastic single-use carryout bags
Funded by: $6M by Plastics industry for YES on 65 and No on
67
Proposition 57: California Parole for Non-Violent Criminals and Juvenile Court Trial
Requirements Initiative
SUMMARY: If you VOTE YES, you have approved a constitutional amendment for
reforming heavy-handed criminal sentencing and turning prisons for a warehouse to an
instrument of rehabilitation. There are two components to this. Component 1: It leaves
the decision of charge whether a juvenile or adult (for under 21) to the judge. The
current norm is that for an accused under the age of 18, they are usually tried in juvenile
court, but for murder or specific sex offenses the prosecuting attorney can decide if they
are tried in adult court.
Back in 2000, lawmakers and voters had transferred power to prosecutors back with
proposition 21 that allowed prosecutor to pick between juvenile court or adult court
just so that vicious young offenders could be sentenced accordingly, The proposition
that passed then, to some extent, was laced with racism. If this proposition passes, it
seeks to return that power to judges, parole boards and prison officials.
Component 2: This would allow nonviolent felons the opportunity to shorten their

4. sentence by taking into account rehabilitation and education time spent, as long as they
have spent time on their minimum sentence. Violent felons convicted of murder,
robbery and rape would not be affected by Prop 57. California has seen an uptick in
crime lately in almost every city and county. The question is if this uptick can be tied into
the 2011 changes shifting state responsibility to county, Proposition 36, which eased the
“Three Strikes” law in 2012, or Proposition 47 in 2014, that turned lower-level drug and
property crimes into misdemeanors. How will Proposition 57 impact crime?
Neutral on this proposition include the likes of Jeff Rosen in Santa Clara County, George
Gascon in San Francisco and Nancy O’Malley in Alameda County.
SUPPORTERS/ FUNDS RAISED: $8 million has been raised, that includes Governor
Brown’s campaign funds and from Reed Hastings, the co-founder and CEO of Netflix.
San Diego’s district attorney, a former juvenile judge, is the only top prosecutor who
supports.
OPPOSERS/ FUNDS RAISED: About $275,000 has been raised so far. Most of the state’s
District attorneys and Republican Party, Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, Crime Victims
United of California, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies association
PROS: This proposition seeks provide folks an incentive an opportunity to turn their lives
around. Thus law enforcement resources could be deployed on dangerous offenders.
This proposition essentially will make a law of a federal cour order that is currently in
effect. If Prop 57 passed, 7,000 inmates would be eligible for parole immediately and
30,000 non-violent felons would qualify to seek parole. Passing of this proposition is
needed to comply with a 2011 federal judges panel recommendation to keep prison
population below a cap and prevent overcrowding. If this passes, the state will likely
save tens of million dollars annually.
CONS: This might mean hiring new probation officers & deputies. More criminals back
on the street and may have similar impact to Proposition 47 that was passed by voters
in 2014. Eligibility for parole would in this case be a bad thing. Critics say other recent
sentence-reduction and early release measures already have increased crime and
Proposition 57 will accentuate that even more.
PROP 62: Death Penalty
Summary: If you VOTE YES on 62, you are voting to toss the death penalty and be done
with it. Proposition 62 would abolish the death penalty in favor of a life sentence
without the possibility of parole — which is similar to what we have today. The Death
Row is not working for California. Since 1978 when California reinstated capital
punishment, about 875 death sentences have been handed out but only 15 deaths were
the result of a state execution (119 were natural cause or suicide). The legal system
grinds on and there is never an end in sight. There is also a Proposition 66 on the ballot.
If you VOTE YES on 66, you are voting to establish death penalty procedures which may
make it even more complex and many more appeals. Well, make up your mind.
Proposition 62 and 66 are at opposite ends. If both pass, the one with the higher margin
of victory will become law.
Supporters/ Funds raised: Supporters include long-time death penalty opponent and
actor, Mike Ferrell, actor Edward James Olmos, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom and Jimmy

5. and Rosalynn Carter. $5.2M has been raised.
Opposition/Funds raised: ACLU, state employee unions, innocence projects and some
families of murder victims. Most of California’s 58 district attorneys oppose Proposition
62. $4.1M has been raised.
PROS: California hasn’t executed anyone since 2006 and 15 total in 4 decades.
The protracted legal process is expensive, at least $150M/year in attorney fees, which
would be money saved if this passes which could finance therapy, job training etc.. The
death penalty system is a failure with mounting costs for California taxpayers. And the
death penalty has a risk aspect of executing an innocent person. This seeks to require
these death row felons to work and pay restitution to their victim families. A death
sentence costs 18 times more than a life sentence. California has spent $5 billion dollars
since 1978 to carry out only 15 executions. The current system allows for many appeals
that slows the system down with not much progress and costs tax payers
$47,000/year/prisoner.
CONS: This seeks to take away the only fitting punishment for California’s worst killers.
Justice will not be served when a death penalty is not conducted.
Proposition 64: The Adult Use of Marijuana Act
Summary: If you VOTE YES, California would join Colorado, Washington, Alaska and
Oregon as states that allow recreational use of marijuana. The objective of this
proposition was to come up with good public policy to replace the failure of prohibition.
But, there is a dichotomy that makes the decision not that easy. On one hand there is a
desire to see marijuana legalized while there is a fear of the new business model (taxes,
regulatory fees and more).
The measure would allow adults ages 21 and older to possess, transport and use up to
an ounce of marijuana for recreational purposes and would allow individuals to grow as
many as six plants. It would reduce many Marijuana related crimes, and bring back
resentencing for many who have been incarcerated for specifics that are legalized and
provide these folks the ability to expunge records. There is currently a regulatory body
for the medical marijuana industry in California state Bureau of Medical Marijuana
Regulation that would be renamed as the Bureau of Marijuana Control if this passes to
license and regulate the industry, establishing packaging, labeling, advertising and
marketing. There are taxes associated with this; a $9.25/ounce tax on cultivation and a
15% retail sales tax. No matter which way this proposition goes, the use of marijuana in
public and while driving would remain illegal.
Supporters/ Funds raised: The measure is supported by Lt Governor Gavin Newsom,
Drug Policy Alliance, Marijuana Policy Project, California Cannabis Industry Assn.,
California Medical Assn. California NAACP, and the national Organization for the Reform
of Marijuana Laws. Facebook President Sean Parker, a billionaire (Napster) has
effectively contributed $7 million to the campaign.
Opposition/Funds raised: Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana, which was formed to
defeat a 2010 legalization initiative that was rejected by 53% of voters. The measure is
also opposed by the California Police Chiefs Association in part, because of problems

6. that have arisen in Colorado. Julie Schauer, a Pennsylvania retiree, has given $1.4 million
PROS: This Marijuana act adopts the best practices of other states, includes the strictest
child protections in the nation and pays for itself while raising a new source of tax
revenue for the state. How will this tax be used? It would be earmarked for research,
youth programs, environmental remeditation, along with programs that would reduce
Driving under Influence, and also seek to address the negative impacts of this act. The
medical association has supported this as it believes that the most effective way to
protect the public health is not via ineffective prohibition, but to tightly control, track
and regulate marijuana and to comprehensively research and educate the public on its
health impacts. Gavin Newsom’s blue ribbon commission on marijuana policy made
recommendations that were incorporated that takes into account the problems with
Colorado, also the need to protect the small farmer from being overrun by large
corporate who will likely jump into this industry.
CONS: There is a fear of a regulatory red tape and also the fear of corporate agriculture
driving out the small mom and pop farmers. Some feel the medical cannabis industry is
working well for California and the 800,000 patients, there is no change needed.
Colorado has seen problems for example extremely potent marijuana is being sold in
Colorado that he fears will lead to high addiction rates and high incidents of psychosis.
Proposition 59: Overturning Citizens United
Summary: If you VOTE YES, you would instruct members of the state’s congressional
delegation to do something about “big money in politics” i.e change how money is
involved in politics. Prop. 59 is part of a national effort by mostly left-leaning activist
groups to urge legislators to begin the process of overturning Citizens United. Voters
have passed similar ballot measures in Colorado and Montana, and another is before
voters this November in Washington. This one on the California ballot is NOT a force of
law but only an instruction.
What is Citizens United? Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision (5-4 decision),
said money spent to influence voters that isn’t funneled through a candidate’s campaign
is free speech, and the federal government cannot prohibit corporations and labor
unions from spending money that way. That passed and resulted in the Super PACs and
the resultant issues. This has weakened the party position and enhanced the impact
that billionaires could have on our country via influencing the elections.
Supporters/ Funds raised: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sander supports Prop. 59 and it is
sponsored by a coalition of liberal watchdog groups led by California Common Cause. It
is endorsed by former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, now a UC Berkeley professor, and
The Chronicle.
Opposition/Funds raised: has no organized opposition but Republican legislators
oppose it
PROS: What does the impact of big money in politics look like – well elections have
become much more expensive allowing corporations and unions to spend unlimited
amounts on political activity. The website Open Secrets presents this data; by this time
in 2008 groups had spent $170 million on elections, in 2012, they’d spent $430 million.

7. And in 2016? They’ve spent nearly $800 million.
CONS: This proposition would only instruct members of California’s congressional
delegate to work to overturn the decision, but it’s not legally binding and there’s no
punishment if they don’t do it. Several California newspapers are asking voters to reject
this as these advisory measures are just cluttering up the ballot with no specific action.
But this proposition may be moot: Thirty-two Democrats in California’s 53-member
House delegation are co-sponsors of at least one of the nine House resolutions pending
in Congress that are aimed at overturning the decision. How? Through a constitutional
amendment that would assert that corporations don’t have rights as human beings and
that campaign spending is not the same as free speech. But amending the constitution is
not child’s play. Congress would need to first approve it with 2/3rd
vote of approval and
then it would be sent to each state for consideration and approval. Might take forever!
Proposition 63, Sale of firearm ammunition
Summary: If you VOTE YES you will vote to improve public safety by controlling the sale
of ammunition as against guns. It requires background checks and a permit issued by
the DOJ to purchase ammunition. This one bans possession of large-capacity
ammunition magazines and prohibits certain individuals from carrying firearms. This
also corrects a loophole making stealing any and all firearm a felony. California has
pretty stringent gun control law today. This would add to them. Statistically, studies
demonstrate that people with access to guns are more likely to commit suicide and also
be the victim of violence.
Supporters/ Funds raised: This one is backed by Lt Governor Gavin Newsom. Also,
California Democratic Party, Amnesty International, the California Medical Association,
the California American College of Physicians, and the California American Academy of
Preventative Medicine.
Opposition/Funds raised: Coalition for Civil Liberties, National Rifle Association’s official
state affiliate, the California Rifle and Pistol Association, the California Republican Party,
the California Libertarian Party, and law enforcement associations such as the California
Police Chief’s Association.
PROS: According to Newsom's office, 38,576 Californians were killed in gun violence
from 2002 to 2013. California law requires background checks for the purchase of
firearms, not for purchase of ammunition. This one will close that loophole too.
CONS: Civil liberties groups, anti-terrorism experts and law enforcement officials are
not keen with this proposition as these new regulations will not make a difference in
terms of public safety, but impact law abiding citizens with higher costs and taxes.
California voters, whether you vote to raise the Tobacco tax or make the private hospital
fee permanent, one thing is assured, your vote will have a huge say in the future of the
state of California. So do your research, study the facts, and make up your best choice in
the November elections. In this article we have covered 5 critical ballot measures, but
critical are also the remaining 12 that you will grapple with. Study, them analyze them
and make up your choice that will work best for your local community and
California. Thank you for taking the time to cast your vote.

8. ABOUT RISHI: Rishi is an elected city councilmember in Saratoga, CA and politically
active in the state of California. Rishi believes in taking a stance, making choices and that
being the spectator is not as fun as playing the actual game. You can reach Rishi via his
website www.RishiKumar.com.