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Pasadena Chamber Recommends Positions on Ballot Measures
News Oct 16, 2018
| Photo courtesy of Brendan C (CC BY 2.0)
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Oct. 22 is the last day to register to vote in California. – Courtesy photo / Brendan C (CC BY 2.0)
Measures considered for impact on local businesses, Pasadena economy and Chamber member companies
The Board of Directors of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce considered the array of initiatives on the ballot for Nov. 6. 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 the following positions on statewide, county and local initiatives for reasons expressed by the Board below:
Local Pasadena Initiatives
Measure I: ¾-cent sales tax increase. The Board voted to oppose the sales tax increase. The vote was the result input from Chamber members, 77 percent of whom oppose the measure, as well as concerns that the city has not made meaningful efforts to economize or develop a long-term strategic organization plan going forward. While the argument put forth about passing it at the local level before the county passes another increase carried some weight, in the end the Board felt that would be a decision at the time an increase is placed before voters.
Measure J: provide 1/3 of sales tax increase to Pasadena Unified School District. The Board voted to take no position on the measure, feeling that opposition to the tax increase was adequate and that voters could decide, should the measure pass, whether to include the school district in the funding allocation.
LA County Initiatives
Measure W: tax on property to pay for projects related to stormwater capture. The Board voted to oppose this measure because, according to them, the cost is too onerous for commercial and residential real estate owners. According to the Board, there is no set spending plan and no sunset clause to the measure, so funding flows indefinitely, even once the goals have been achieved. They also felt that exempting public agencies from the charges is unfair, as they also contribute to stormwater runoff.
State of California Initiatives
Proposition 1: bond to fund housing and new service programs for veterans. The Board voted to support the measure as funding for veteran housing and support programs, especially for homeless and otherwise impacted veterans, are critical to serve a much deserving population.
Proposition 2: bond to fund existing housing program for individuals with mental illness. It authorizes the state to use revenue from millionaire’s tax for $2 billion in bonds for homelessness prevention housing. The Board voted to support this initiative as it reprograms existing funding to help address important issues facing the homeless and mentally ill persons in California.
Proposition 3: bonds to fund water supply and quality, watershed, fish, wildlife, water conservation, groundwater sustainability and storage. The Board voted to support the measure as a means to further provide reliability and improve water quality in California, particularly needed in Southern California, especially for economically impacted populations.
Proposition 4: bonds funding construction of hospitals providing children’s health care. The Board voted to support efforts to increase capacity and improve services at children’s hospitals in California.
Proposition 5: changes requirements for certain property owners to transfer their property tax base to replacement property. Allows property owners over 55-years-old to transfer their Prop 13 tax rates from previous property to new property upon sale of the previous property. The Board voted to support the measure as a means to facilitate the transfer of real estate, possibly bring more housing to market, and protect the financial health of those on fixed incomes should they sell one property and buy a property with a higher tax burden.
Proposition 6: eliminates certain road repair and transportation funding. Requires certain fuel taxes and vehicle fees be approved by the electorate. Nullifies the gas tax and vehicle fee increase to fund road repairs and transportation projects. The Board voted to oppose the measure because road and street repair and transit construction are necessary to the economic health of California. According to the Board, funding sources that exist in other states, such as toll roads and vehicle taxes, are more burdensome on drivers there than these gas tax and registration fee increases are to Californians.
Proposition 7: conforms California Daylight Savings Time to federal law. The Board voted to support the measure as it will allow California to choose the best means to serve its citizens.
Proposition 8: regulates amounts outpatient kidney dialysis clinics charge for dialysis treatment. The Board voted to oppose the measure as an unnecessary intrusion on the workplace with rules that will not improve patient safety or service.
Proposition 10: Expands local government authority to enact rent control on residential property. The Board voted to oppose the measure because it potentially places overly burdensome rent control restrictions and would likely stymie the development of new rental units when California is facing a massive housing shortage.
Proposition 11: Requires private emergency ambulance employees to remain on-call during work breaks. The Board voted to support the measure because it could, in some circumstances, enhance the effectiveness and response time of emergency medical personnel.
Proposition 12: extends new standards for confinement of specified farm animals, bans sale of non-complying products. Bans sales of veal, pork or eggs that come from animals knowingly confined in a cruel manner. The Board took no position on the measure as there are no farms, dairies or meat producing enterprises in the Pasadena area.
The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce does not endorse individual candidates for office.
