I've previously written that I don't like the CA LP's reasoning on some of tomorrow's ballot measures. I still think their arguments are only appealing to hard line libertarians, but I've been persuaded by other arguments to vote against everything tomorrow, and I encourage you to do the same.
I was marginally in favor of the rainy day fund aspects of Prop 1A, but as you can see from the links in the comments on my earlier post, this is a fraud, a repeat of the equally pointless prop 58 that was supposed to solve all our problems only a few years ago.
I argued in favor of 1D and 1E in my earlier post, because they could, in theory, have helped prevent tax hikes. But the Reason Foundation's analysis has another take on it that I found much more persuasive. Even assuming 1D and 1E can offer short term relief (as I did), they are dangerous because they offer an underhanded technique to grow state spending. First, the taxpayers are duped into supporting an initiative to provide mental health services, or pay for idiotic anti-smoking commercials. Next, once California's public employee unions induce another budget crisis, you cut the programs and transfer the money into the general fund.
I don't think the original supporters of the initiatives that established these programs intended it to be used in this manner, but it would set a dangerous precedent.
I'd even like to see 1F, the "no raises while the budget isn't balanced" measure fail. It would be good to send a message that the con games are over.
Leave a comment