October 13, 2010

Propositions on California November ballot, 19-27.

See Smart Voter Guide.

KPCV: Confused by the ballot - tune into "The Proposition Song , also Gerrymandering.

We’ve switched our regular meetings to 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. So, our meetings this month are October 13 and 27. In deference to the holidays, our November and December meetings are 2nd and 3rd Wednesdays, i.e. November 10 and 17, and December 8 and 15. We’ll resume on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays after that.

May 19, '09 election / flu

Our next meeting is Monday, May 4, with these suggested topics:

1. The May 19 special election
   
2. flu response
3. added: Mike Cohen about new security committee

Regarding item #1:

Secretary of State

Smartvoter

Desert Sun: Decoding the ballot: Voters to determine future of state budget

Regarding item #2:

NY Times:

Virus’s Tangled Genes Straddle Continents

Raising a Mystery About Its Origins, First Flu Death Provides Clues to Mexico Toll

KCRW:

MSNBC: Egypt orders slaughter of all pigs over swine flu

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

U.S. election

These topics, from the November 4 election, are scheduled for our November 3rd rmeeting:

1. On our own ballots, who will win and what measures will pass?  By what margins?
2. What about ballot measures in other States?

Regarding item #1:

November 4 ballot: Smartvoter, California Ballot Measures

League of Women Voters: Easy Voter Guide, How to Evaluate Initiatives, An Overview of State Bond Debt

Regarding item #2:

MSNBC: Hot-button social issues highlight state ballots, Outcome

Animal rights /California redistricting / Indio User Tax

The discussion topics for our October 20, 2008, meeting come from the November 4 election ballot:

1. Proposition 2: Shall certain farm animals be allowed, for the majority of every day, to fully extend their limbs or wings, lie down, stand up and turn around?
2. Proposition 11. Redistricting -- State of California (Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute - Majority Approval Required) Shall the authority for establishing state office boundaries be changed from elected representatives to a commission comprised of Democrats, Republicans, and representatives of neither party selected from the registered voter pool in a multilevel process?
3. Measure K. Amending User's Tax Ordinance -- City of Indio (Majority Approval Required) Shall the city of Indio amend and modernize the city's utility users' tax ordinance?

Regarding item #1:  

Voter guide: Proposition 2

N.Y. Times: editorial

Regarding item #2:  

Voter guide: Proposition 11 

Regarding item #3:

Voter guide: Measure K

Desert Sun: Measure K an important step forward for Indio

Claremont Insider: Indio Spin Class

Per Gustavo: The City of Indio Utility User Fee Application For Exemption is now available at the HOA office.  If you're 62+ or disabled, you may qualify.

ethanol / California insurance surcharge

These topics were originally scheduled for September 22::

1. In the United States, as much as one-third of the maize crop this year will go to the gas tank and this is a huge blow to the world food supply.   Should we continue developing biofuels as an alternative to the use of oil?
   
2. Gov Schwarzenegger proposes a surcharge on property insurance statewide to defray the state's cost for fire protection and emergency response.  Should all taxpayers subsidize people who choose to live in fire-prone areas?  
   

Regarding item #1:

From my other blog: ethanol

Regarding item #2:

Press-Enterprise: Fire burdens

Church & state / California budget / July 4th

The discussion topics for the 6/16/08 meeting are:

1. Is there a separation of church and state in the US?
2. Should California cut services, borrow funds secured by future lottery collections, or increase sales tax to balance its budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year?
3. Added: 4^th of July, What does it mean to us today?

Regarding item #1

Wikipedia: separation of church and state

Regarding item #2Google: CA budget

Regarding item #3
Wikipedia: Patriotism , Liberty and Freedom
Wikiquote: Patriotism

eminent domain / services tax

The discussion topics for the 5/19/08 TD club meeting are:

1. Review of Propositions 98 and 99
2. Should California sales tax be applied to service industries?

Regarding item 2:
Wikipedia: FairTax
Overview of California's tax system

Regarding item 1:
Official secretary of state page
Wiki summary
Ballotpedia - in depth
One letter to the editor on 5/17 reads:

Where's the simplicity?

We received our Official Voter Information Guide for the June 3 election, and trying to make heads or tails out of Propositions 98 and 99 we need a law degree. I thought several years ago, propositions were to be worded so that one could read yes or no to the possible changes in the laws.

We do consider ourselves educated and able to read, but with all the foreign people having limited use of the language, we wonder how they can make informed and intelligent decisions if we are having such a difficult time figuring out what the anticipated change means.

Delores Lukina
La Quinta

5/20 Desert Sun editorial