November 5, 2024 Elections |
PROP | TOPIC | EFFECT | PROS | CONS | NOTES |
Manhattan Beach Measures | |||||
MMB City | ½ cent sales tax increase | Would raises MB sales tax from 9.5% to 10% Would provide funding for general city services, including keeping local streets, sidewalks, infrastructure, and parks safe, clean, and well maintained; Would repair/upgrade aging community facilities; fixing potholes; and improving parking availability and traffic safety
Placed on ballot by unanimous vote of MB City Council | Approx 61% of sales tax revenue in MB paid by visitors; Would raise approx $5.3 million per year and can be used for any municipal purpose Per City Staff, MB needs more than $200 million for repairs to streets, sidewalks and community facilities, including Parking Lot 3 and the Joslyn Community Center. If City doesn’t raise taxes to 10%, the County could, resulting in local funds going to the County instead. Currently approx 1% of sales tax goes to MB | Raises taxes for residents (but not for groceries, medications) | |
RLS MBUSD |
$200 million school improvement bond | Estimated property tax levy of $32 per $100,000 in assessed value To repair/upgrade aging classrooms/labs for quality education; repair leaky roofs/ outdated electrical/deteriorating plumbing for safe drinking water; improve fire/earthquake safety; remove asbestos/lead, keep schools safe/clean Placed on ballot by MBUSD | Does not raise taxes; If Prop 2 passes will match approximately $57 million | If Measure RLS does not pass, property taxes would decrease because the current school bond would expire. | |
Beach Cities District Measures | |||||
BC BCHD | $30 million general obligation bond | Levies property tax of $3/$100,000 assessed value, to fund the tear-down and removal of the old South Bay Hospital on 514 N. Prospect, which can only safely operate under current seismic guidelines until the end of 2026, and “complete construction of the Allcove youth mental health center; install water/energy conservation systems; and [create] 2 acres of public outdoor space for youth/older adult community wellness programs,” plus parking. | Proponents say that, with 1 in 12 Beach Cities teens having contemplated suicide, that the new space is important for the well-being of community. | Opponents object to size and footprint of proposed project, and use of facilities by non-taxpayers. | |
LA County Measures | |||||
A County | Evergreen ½ cent sales tax to replace ¼ cent tax that funds homeless-ness programs | Will replace Measure H’s ¼ cent sales tax, set to expire in 2027, with a ½ cent sales tax that will raise roughly $1 billion annually to fund homelessness programs, construction of interim and permanent housing, and provide mental health services. | Measure H has had measurable results providing over 108,000 people with permanent housing, 148,000 people with interim housing and has kept 34,000 people in their homes avoiding homelessness. These funds will serve the 75,000 unhoused people in the County and help keep struggling people housed. | Opponents contend that Measure H has not produced sufficient results to warrant this tax | |
G County | Gov’t reform: Creates elected County CEO, adds 4 Supervisors, Plus many other changes | Measure G adds four seats to Board of Supervisors (going from 5 to 9), requires an elected county CEO (currently CEO is appointed by the Board), and codifies an ethics commission (the Board already approved the ethics part and that will go through with or without Measure G). Also, it creates several new management positions (but does not specify their cost or salaries), requires CO department heads to present budgets individually, rather than as a whole, imposes 2-year ban on former supervisors lobbying County and authorizes suspension of county politicians who are criminally charged with a felony. | *Widespread agreement that Board should be expanded *Must be paid-for with existing revenues (cuts or reallocation of funds) *expands the number of elected officials and replaces the appointed professional executive with an elected position, which proponents contend would create more representation and accountability to voters | *The Measure would cost millions of dollars and no source of funding has been identified *Elected CEO is significant change in form of government and there has been little discussion *The ethics reforms have already been approved and this measure is not required; Plus cannot be revised or improved w/o vote if Measure G passes | |
CA State Measures | |||||
2 State | School bonds | $10 billion bond measure to construct, repair and modernize existing public school and community college facilities
Al Muratsuchi co-authored bill. | If Measure RLS passes, MBUSD receives matching funds; Funds urgent repairs: removes hazardous mold, asbestos, and lead paint from our schools Safety. Prop. 2 will make students safer by funding door locks, emergency communications and security systems, fire alarms, smoke detectors… | Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn argues that increasing state debt is not the right approach to funding school facilities. The responsibility for funding should go through local education bonds instead | |
3 State | Marriage equality | If approved, Prop 3 would remove unconstitutional definition of marriage as between man & woman (old Prop 8) and declare that a "right to marry is a fundamental right" in the California Constitution, afforded equal protection of law, so protects same sex marriage. | *Removes unconstitutional language from CA const. *Enshrines equal protection and right to marry in CA constitution *If US Supreme Court reverses Obergefell decision, Californians would still be protected | If you oppose marriage equality, current language might become operative if the US Supreme Court reverses Obergefell decision | |
4 State | Water, fire, & climate bonds | $10 Billion bond measure to combat climate change related disasters such as drought, flooding and extreme heat. Would finance safe drinking water $3.8 B), wildfire prevention and extreme heat mitigation ($1.95B), protection of parks, natural lands and wildlife ($1.9B), protection of coastal lands ($1.2B), clean energy programs ($850M) and sustainable agriculture ($300M) | Almost doubles State spending to address the very real, observable adverse effects of climate change on Californians. Supporters include environmental and labor groups and renewable energy advocates | State spending is historically ineffective; this measure is a big an increase in State indebtedness; very costly. Opponents are anti-tax organizations. | |
5 State | 55% voter approval for local infra-structure & housing bonds
| Reduces Prop 13-mandated voter threshold of 66.67% to 55% for bonds that fund affordable housing construction, down-payment assistance programs, and public infrastructure. The 55% threshold is the same as school bonds currently. Prop 5 does not apply to local governments converting existing single-family homes to rent-restricted affordable housing. [Prop 5 itself only needs 50% +1 votes to pass] | Proponents say 55% is more democratic than 66.67% and the lower threshold will make needed improvements more likely. Studies suggest 20%-50% more bonds will pass if the 55% threshold applies. | Opponents object to tax increases and say Prop 5 will increase state debt. They suggest that government should find ways to lower housing and construction costs instead. | |
6 State | Forced labor | SEC. 6. (a) Slavery is prohibited. Involuntary servitude is prohibited except to punish crime. and involuntary servitude are prohibited. | *Ends an immoral practice *Leaves available voluntary labor by prisoners in exchange for money or reduced sentences | It would be very costly to replace free labor with prisoners that are paid minimum wage (Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Ass’n opposes) | |
32 State | Minimum wage increase | Would raise wages for about 2 million workers from $16.00/hr currently (and $16.50 as of Jan. 2025) to $17 upon passage and $18 by Jan. 2025 or Jan 2026, depending on company size. As of Jan. 2027, increases would be tied to Consumer Price Index. LAO predicts a 0.5% price increase. | Proponents contend that the increase is necessary to help the poorest workers live in an expensive state. | Opponents contend that raising the minimum wage will lead to higher prices, hurt small businesses, and result in layoffs | |
33 State | Local Rent Control | If approved, Prop 33 would repeal law so that cities could regulate rents of single-family homes and apartments built after 1995 and limit rent charged new tenants after a vacancy | Prop 33 would allow cities to control the rents and the rent increases in all housing types (state law requires that local laws guarantee a fair return on investment to landlords) | Opponents contend that rent control discourages investment in new housing, constraining supply and driving up overall housing costs | |
34 State | Require Rx Drug Profits be spent primarily for patient care | Prop 34 is aimed at a specific situation. A federal program allows certain healthcare providers to buy Rx at deep discounts and resell the drugs at market prices; the windfall revenues were justified as a way to increase resources for service providers. AHF has used millions for political, litigation, slum-lord activities. If approved, Prop 34 would require 98% of drug sale revenues be used for patient care by agencies with history of misuse. Prop 34 would also allow the state to permanently negotiate Medi-Cal drug prices on a statewide basis. | Prop 34 would impose a check on the use of windfall profits derived from re-sale of discounted prescription drugs pursuant to a federal program; the discount was intended to create funding for patient services. If passed, that intent will be realized through accountability | There appears to be only one provider that meets the criteria of spending over $100 million in drug re-sale proceeds for purposes other than patient care (over 10-year period) and having over 500 housing violations; this is AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Opponents object to the use of initiative as revenge | |
35 State | Makes tax that funds Medi-Cal permanent | Makes permanent an existing tax on managed care health plans that finances Medi-Cal which is set to expire in 2026. Medi-Cal provides health services to low income families, disabled and seniors. Tax would be used to raise reimbursement rates to hospitals and doctors for Medi-Cal patients. Serves 1/3 of Californians. | Currently funding for Medi-Cal depends on periodic renewal of the existing tax. This measure would give Medi-Cal stable and reliable funding. Supported by hospitals, doctors and medical groups. | No organized opposition. Governor Newsom and League of Women Voters argue that budgeting by initiative is too inflexible and deprives the State of the nimbleness required to adjust to changing circumstances and federal requirements | |
36 State | Makes certain drug & theft crimes felonies and increases sentences | Increases criminal penalties from misdemeanors to felonies for possession of certain drugs, including fentanyl, and for thefts under $950 for repeat offenders. Allows for cumulation of theft amounts in separate incidents. Provides a drug treatment option (“treatment mandated felony”) for drug possession offenders. | Stricter penalties are necessary to combat increased lawlessness. Will reduce homelessness and drug abuse.Supported by big box retailers, chamber of commerce and some law enforcement groups | Opponents like Governor Newsom and ACLU argue that the measure will result in overcrowding of prisons, cost hundreds of millions in justice system costs and reduce funding for existing drug and mental health treatment programs | |