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Eight initiatives have qualified for the statewide ballot for the Special Election to be held on November 8, 2005. [A brief summary is provided for each below.]
One local issue and candidates for two local city council seats will also be on the November 8 ballot.
LOCAL ISSUE: Measure Y The Los Angeles Unified School District is placing a $3.985 billion Facilities Bond measure on the ballot. This bond, the largest in the school district's history, will allow the completion of its $14 billion construction program, adding 25 schools and bringing all elementary schools to a traditional two-semester calendar.
The school district's ambitious construction program was launched in 1997; voters approved the first three bonds, for a total of $9.6 billion. Since 2002, the district has completed 23,423 new classroom seats, 10,000 repair projects, and built 24 new schools. Thirty-five additional schools will be opened this year (fall 2005).
If this bond is approved by voters, $50 million of the bond revenue will be set aside for charter school construction projects.
Fiscal impact: Next year, according to school district officials' projections, property owners will pay about $113 a year per $100,000 of assessed valuation for the district's three previous bond measures. That is expected to increase to $138 in 1009. If the currently proposed bond is passed, it will add about $20 annually in 1008.
LOCAL CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS: The November 8 Special Election will include City Council candidates for two districts, the 10th and the 14th districts. Voters in those districts will be filling vacancies created by the incumbents who resigned to assume other positions.
Martin Ludlow represented the 10th district, until he resigned in July to head the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. Three candidates have been certified for the November 8 special election ballot. Former Assembly Speaker herb Wesson, the most well-known of the three, is currently Special Assistant to County Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke. The other two candidates are Barry E. Levine, a professional photographer, and Robert D. Serrano, who identifies himself as "CEO."
Antonio Villaraigosa vacated the 14th council district seat when he was elected Mayor on May 17. Ten individuals have been certified for the special election ballot. Eight are unknown, first-time candidates. The remaining two are Jose Huizar, president of the LAUSD School Board, and Nick Pacheco, who represented the 14th district for one term before he was defeated by Villaraigosa in 2003. Jose Huizar has this far won the most endorsements, including the new Mayor's.
PROPOSITIONS ON THE NOVEMBER 8, 2005 SPECIAL ELECTION BALLOT
[The three initiatives supported by Governor Schwarzenegger, as part of his reform package are indicated by an asterisk.]
· Prop. 73: Termination of a Minor’s Pregnancy. Amends the state Constitution to bar abortion on unemancipated minors until 48 hours after the physician notifies the minor’s parent or legal guardian. Provides for an exception in the case of a medical emergency or with parental waiver. The initiative also requires physicians to report abortions performed on minors, and the state to compile statistics.
· Prop. 74: *Public School Teachers: Tenure. Increases the length of time before a teacher may become a permanent employee from two complete consecutive school years to five complete consecutive school years. The measure applies to teachers whose probationary period began during or after the 2003-04 fiscal year. Also authorizes school boards to dismiss a permanent teaching employee who receives two consecutive unsatisfactory performance evaluations.
· Prop. 75: Public Employee Union Dues. Prohibits public employee labor organizations from using dues or fees for political contributions unless the employee provides prior consent each year on specified written forms. The prohibition does not apply to dues or fees collected for charitable organizations, health care insurance, or other purposes directly benefiting the public employee.
· Prop. 76: *State Spending/School Funding. Sponsored by “Citizens to Save California.” Changes the state minimum established by Prop. 98 for school funding, permitting suspension of minimum funding, but terminating the repayment requirement and eliminating authority to reduce funding when state revenues decrease. Excludes above-minimum appropriations from the schools’ funding base. Limits state spending to prior year total plus revenue growth. Shifts excess revenues from schools/tax relief to budget reserve, specified construction, and debt repayment.
Requires the Governor to reduce state appropriations, under specified circumstances [largely relating to the state budget not being passed on time], including employee compensation and state contracts. Continues prior year appropriations if new state budget is delayed. Prohibits state special funds borrowing. Requires payment of local government mandates.
· Prop. 77: *Reapportionment. Sponsored by Ted Costa of “People’s Advocate.” Amends the state Constitution’s decennial process for redrawing the boundaries of Senate, Assembly, Congressional and Board of Equalization districts. Requires a 3-member panel of retired judges, selected by legislative leaders, to adopt a new redistricting plan upon voter approval, and again after each national census. Provides for the process to repeat, if voters subsequently reject the plan.
· Prop. 78: Prescription Drug Discounts. This initiative is sponsored by PhRMA, which represents the leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies. Establishes a discount prescription drug program to be overseen by the Department of Health Services. Enables certain low- and moderate-income California residents to purchase prescription drugs at reduced prices. Imposes a $15 application fee, renewable annually. Authorizes the Department to contract with pharmacies to sell prescription drugs at agreed-upon discounts negotiated in advance, and to negotiate rebate agreements with drug manufacturers. Allows the program to be terminated under certain specified conditions.
· Prop. 79: Prescription Drug Discounts. One of two initiatives on the issue appearing on the ballot. This measure is sponsored by Health Access California (“Alliance for a Better California”). Provides for prescription drug discounts to Californians who qualify based on income-related standards; discounts to be funded through rebates from participating drug manufacturers negotiated by the California Department of Health Services. Other provisions: Requires at least 95% of the rebates must go to fund the discounts; prohibits new Medi-Cal contracts with manufacturers not providing the Medicaid best price to this program; makes prescription drug profiteering unlawful, and sets up an oversight board.
· Prop. 80: Electric Utility Regulation. Regulates the price of electricity, substantially undoing the partial deregulation of the 1990s. Specifies that registration by electric service providers with the California Public Utilities Commission constitutes their consent to regulation. Requires utilities to generate 20% of power from renewable energy sources by 2010 [instead of the current requirement of 2017]. Imposes restrictions on electricity customers’ ability to switch from private utilities to other electric providers. [Note: Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation similar to this initiative in 2004.]
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This page last updated: October 4, 2005