California’s experiment with direct democracy co
Post# of 51160
< Will voters decriminalize recreational marijuana?
< Impose a ban on plastic grocery bags?
< Vote for income and cigarette taxes? Implement more gun control?
< End the death penalty?
< Let violent criminals out early in the name of reform?
< Issue $9 billion in school construction bonds?
< Bring back bilingual education to public schools?
< Require voter approval for issuing revenue bonds for huge public works projects? There’s even more.
RECORD-SETTING LOCAL TAX AND BORROWING MEASURES
Today there are more than 400 proposals on ballots across the state to either raise local taxes or allow local governments to borrow more money. The California Taxpayers Association has estimated that if all of them were approved. proposals before California voters could result in tax increases of more than $13.6 billion annually. State and local bond measures, if all approved, would mean an additional $31 billion in long-term debt.
Generally, it is thought that GOP turnout will be off this year in California, and Democratic turnout will be higher (this is already being seen in absentee ballot returns). If this ends up the case, regardless of who wins the White House or control of the U.S. Senate, it could be a very difficult year for California’s most endangered species: namely, elected Republican officeholders.