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Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Recommends Positions on June Ballot Measures
News May 09, 2018
The Legislative and Government Affairs Committee and the Board of Directors of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce considered the array of initiatives on the ballot for June 5th. –Courtesy photo
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The Legislative and Government Affairs Committee and the Board of Directors of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce considered the array of initiatives on the ballot for June 5th. –Courtesy photo
The Board of Directors of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce considered the array of initiatives on the ballot on June 5th. In deciding whether or not to take a position, the Board analyzed whether a particular measure would impact the local economy, local businesses as a whole, or individual Chamber members.
The Board took these positions on the statewide and county initiatives:
State of California
Proposition 68: Drought, Water, Park Bond. SUPPORT. The proposition would allow for a $4 billion bond sale and reallocates $100 million for drought prevention, water sustainability projects, and parks.
Proposition 69: Motor Vehicle Fees. SUPPORT. The proposition restricts gas tax funding expenditures to transportation and transit projects and removes the ability of the state legislature to reallocate these funds.
Proposition 70: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Reserve Fund. SUPPORT. The proposition requires all Cap and Trade funds be deposited in a dedicated account and requires that all appropriations require a 2/3 legislative majority vote in 2024.
Proposition 71: Effective date of ballot measures. SUPPORT. The proposition requires that statewide ballot measures take effect five days after the Secretary of State certifies election results.
Proposition 72: Property Tax Exclusion. SUPPORT. The proposition would exclude new construction for rain water capture systems from re-assessment for property tax.
City of Pasadena and Pasadena Unified School District
The Legislative and Government Affairs Committee met and is recommending the following positions on local ballot measures:
Ballot Measure AA: Adjusts the City Election Calendar. OPPOSE. The measure would align the city elections, as required by state law, to match statewide election cycles. While this is required by law, the means the City Council chose to implement the rules is nonsensical. Unlike the Pasadena Unified School District, which will go to plurality voting where the candidate with the most votes wins, the City Council chose to maintain the primary election and general election cycles, where if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the primary, there will be a run-off election at the next statewide cycle, which would be in November. The City election cycle would, possibly, begin in advance of the March primary and not conclude until the following November. The committee found this extended election cycle to be prohibitively expensive and simply too long for voters to remain engaged.
Ballot Measure BB: Adjusts Pasadena Unified School District Election Calendar. SUPPORT. The measure puts PUSD in compliance with state law and allows for plurality voting, where the candidate with the most votes in the election wins outright, whether they receive a majority of votes or not.
Ballot Measure CC: Commercial Cannabis Regulations. OPPOSE. The measure put forth by the City Council is extremely restrictive, allowing for only six retail outlets in Pasadena and imposing severe distance restrictions. While the committee appreciates keeping distance requirements for recreational marijuana sales from schools, residences and homes, they felt the small number allowed would simply mean the status quo would prevail, where illegal sales would predominate the local marketplace, or retail operators would set up in neighboring communities. The overwhelming majority of Pasadena voters, about two-thirds, supported the legalization of recreational marijuana. The City of Pasadena should heed those voters and place meaningful distance requirements but not allow for only a minimal number of retail outlets.
Ballot Measure DD: Cannabis Business Tax. SUPPORT. The measure allows for collection of business taxes and fees from retail cannabis operations. Funding would support regulation enforcement and potentially provide funds for city operations.
The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce does not endorse individual candidates for office.
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