By Pat Orr | Special to the Victorville Daily Press

Tomorrow marks the start of mailing a ballot to every registered voter in California. And so it begins: The onslaught of mailers, ads, prevarications and outright lies that now constitute campaigns for our votes. If there was ever a year to do your own research, this is it.

The political parties want you to believe this is the most important election in our history, but they say that every four years. What can be important is that we have jobs, taxes, new government spending, crime and racial-preference laws before us in California to vote on.

The impact of the COVID-19 lockdown cannot be underestimated on the attitudes of California voters. Our nave view that the government knows what it is doing has been sorely tested even more than usual.

Proposition 14 is a straightforward request for your approval to issue $5.7 billion in new bonds to fund stem cell research. I ask why this is not funded by big pharma who, along with their academic research partners, will reap the profits from any breakthrough treatments? This bond will cost taxpayers $7.8 billion in principal and interest. Is it good for mankind? Yes, it could be. Is it good for taxpayers? You decide.

Proposition 15 is the attack on Proposition 13s property tax protection passed 40 years ago. Commonly called the Split-roll Initiative, it would revalue commercial property to generate millions from business property owners. This is one issue that the lock-down has helped clarify. This new tax law would cause more business closures and accelerate the departure of businesses who can escape. To intensify the issue further, new work-at-home rules are making large corporate offices obsolete. Couple that with the death of shopping malls and you have a looming business property foreclosure disaster that Prop 15 will only hasten. Voters have turned against 15 despite the hackneyed ads that claim, this is for the schools. Hey, schools are closed!

Proposition 16 is a weird attempt in this social climate to allow our state to legally discriminate in university admissions, public employment or contracting. We banned discrimination in California once. Now to fight racism, the liberals want to bring legalized institutional racism back. This will never stand up in court if it passes.

Proposition 17 would give 40,000 formerly incarcerated individuals now on parole the right to vote. Proponents see the inability to vote as an example of systemic racism because they claim that two-thirds of parolees are Black or Latino.

Proposition 18 will let 17-year-olds vote in primary elections if they will be 18 before the General Election. This will stop those pesky other parties, like Republicans and Libertarians, from getting a candidate in the top two primary ever again.

Proposition 19 will make it easier for those over 55 to transfer their property tax base to another home. This has overwhelming support particularly as we see so many folks displaced by wildfires this year that must rebuild or relocate. A yes vote is supported by Realtors statewide.

Proposition 20 makes crime a crime again. Theft valued between $250 and $950 will become a felony again if you vote yes on Prop 20. This may reduce the shoplifting plague that has been visited on retailers since the law was changed to allow offenders to steal up to $800 with a slap on the wrist. Every shop owner will vote yes on 20.

Proposition 21 is one more attempt to pass statewide rent control. It failed before and will fail again. Can you imagine there ever being any empty apartments to rent if there was rent control?

Proposition 22 is another issue totally reframed by the COVID-19 lockdown. It is the unions attempt to force independent contractors to become employees. Aimed at ride-share drivers and a host of other gig-economy workers, it is a naked attempt to get new union members. We all have become dependent on food, grocery and drug deliveries so there is zero chance this will pass this year. The value of letting people choose their own work life has become clear and essential for all of us.

Proposition 23 would require a licensed physician on-site at every dialysis clinic. This is good for the big chain clinics, not so good for places like the Victor Valley where the extra cost may force clinics to close.

Proposition 24 strengthens consumer privacy laws. This proposition creates a new state agency full of highly paid managers and unionized state workers to protect your personal credit information from being bought and sold. You decide if the return on investment is worth it.

Proposition 25 is an attempt to enable voters to end the catch-and-release game in the justice system right now. A yes vote keeps our cashless bail system in place under current state law. A no vote returns us to the system wherein the court sets bail requiring assets or cash to secure release until trial.

Meanwhile, every Victor Valley community has a local ballot issue to decide this year. Apple Valley (Measure 0) and Victorville (Measure P) are both asking voters to approve an additional 1% increase in the sales tax to be retained for municipal expenses like police, fire, parks and road maintenance. The impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on local sales tax revenue is significant. The state has signaled it will not be helping with any additional income, so it is either increase revenue or cut more services. We have always been a law-and-order-oriented region, so I expect both measures to pass.

In Hesperia Measure N is an attempt to modify land use and density rules to help keep Hesperia from becoming overbuilt and out-of-character projects from being built in the city.

Adelantos Measure R is a new tax on vacant land parcels that can range from $50-$600 a year depending upon how the property is zoned. I doubt investors or home builders are excited by the prospect of a new tax on unused dirt right now. Has the city made the case to voters they need the money based on past prudent spending?

Measure V is only for Spring Valley Lake residents and it would, if passed, create a new Community Services District. There are long-time residents on both sides of the issue. I expect the vote to be close and trust a majority of SVL voters have paid enough attention to really weigh the pros and cons of creating this new entity.

We all will vote on Measures J and K, which purportedly modernizes the County Charter (J) and imposes a one four-year term limit and salary reduction on our supervisors (K).You should know that J was put on the ballot by the supervisors, while K was put on the ballot by voter petition. Translation: These two may have conflicting provisions.

A yes vote on Measure U repeals the County Fire Tax for those folks living in County Fire Protection District Service Zone 5. The issue here is that many residents in this zone already pay fire fees to other fire agencies and the County sort of snuck up on this area and included it in their tax levy. You will know from your tax bill and your ballot if this issue applies to your property.

This commentary does not reflect the official position of the Daily Press Editorial Board or ownership.

Contact Pat Orr at avreviewopinion@gmail.com.

Originally posted here:
Around Town: Life is a series of choices a look at California's ballot propositions - VVdailypress.com