Jayne Guide
Oakland, CA
November 4, 2008
your neighborhood voter guide. 3rd edition. yes. we read the dozens of other voters guides, and create yet another one... trust us, we trust us...
Prop 1A
Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement
Builds a high speed railway between San Francisco, Sacramento, and Southern California. Bond Measure. $19.4 billion over 30 years.
NO. This would not do anything to address the real problems of lack of public transportation locally, and it’s really expensive.
YES. Would invest money and jobs in the California economy during the construction period and beyond. With a growing population, we will need to invest more money in moving more people, especially along the Bay-Central Valley-LA corridor.
Prop 2
Endorsed Vote: Yes
Misdemeanor (effective 2015) to confine veal calves, pregnant pigs, or egg-laying hens in small cages.
YES, with reservations. Doesn’t get to the heart of the problem with factory farming , may increase land use of large farms, and increase cost of food, especially harmful for low-income people; however, ultimately we felt this was a step in the right direction and is an important check on the meat industry.
Prop 3
Endorsed Vote: Yes
$980 million in bonds for expansion, renovation and equipping of children’s hospitals. Twenty percent of the funds would be available to five UCs and eighty percent to other private nonprofit children’s hospitals
YES. Because children’s hospital’s are regional facilities that must keep up to date equipment to treat rare conditions, this bond measure will aid in that process without diverting into other funds for primary care services for low income children. Children’s hospitals, be it public or private, serve as the crux of the safety net for children. Here in Oakland, 95 percent of children seen at Children’s hospital for primary care are on Medi-Cal. It is important that these funds are not diverted to expensive medical equipment that is required by law to provide.
Prop 4
Endorsed Vote: No
Amend state constitution to require parental notification of a pregnant minor in writing at least 48 hours before performing an abortion.
DEFINITELY NO. Parental notification puts teenagers in danger. This has been on the ballot several times in previous years and this is the worst version to date.
Prop 5
Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement
This measure (1) expands drug treatment diversion programs for criminal offenders, (2) modifies parole supervision procedures and expands prison and parole rehabilitation programs, (3) allows inmates to earn additional time off their prison sentences for participation and performance in rehabilitation programs, (4) reduces certain penalties for marijuana possession, and (5) makes miscellaneous changes to state law related mainly to state administration of rehabilitation and parole programs for offenders.
YES, with reservations. Less criminalization, lessening sentencing, and increasing rehabilitation and reentry services are all things we support.
NO, with reservations. We do not want drug rehabilitation in the hands of the state prison system for reasons of increasing the prison industrial complex. Also, we do not support lessening some people’s sentences at the cost of increasing sentencing for violent felonies.
Prop 6
Endorsed Vote: No
Increased costs for prison and parole, reallocating funds currently spent on K-12 Education, Higher Education, Health and Human Services, etc. Deems any youth 14 years or older who is convicted of a gang-related felony as unfit for trial in a juvenile court and prosecuting these youths as adults. All occupants who are recipients of public housing subsidies submit to annual criminal background checks and lose housing if convicted of a recent crime. Also an attack on immigrants.
DEFINITELY NO. This is awful. Please just see the column to the left, which doesn’t even include all the awful things this proposition would do.
Prop 7
Endorsed Vote: No
Raises renewable energy requirements for utilizes to 40% by 2020 and 50% by 2025.
NO. Having renewable energy in the hands of big corporations and forcing out small wind and solar companies is a bad idea. 60 percent of our current mandated renewable energy is produced by small providers who would be shut out under this proposition. The California Energy Crisis taught us we need to decentralize our energy sources, not the other way around.
Prop 8
Endorsed Vote: No
Amend the California Constitution to specify that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.
DEFINITELY NO. This amendment writes in more discrimination. As Megan said: “I think changes to the constitution should increase rights”.
Prop 9
Endorsed Vote: No
Requires notification to victim when person imprisoned for the crime is released, and an opportunity for input during phases of criminal justice process. Increases time between parole hearings drastically.
DEFINITELY NO. This could force people in prison to wait 15 years between parole hearings (current maximum of 5 years is already too long).
Prop 10
Endorsed Vote: No
California would sell $5 billion in bonds to raise money for renewable energy and fuel incentives.
NO. Measure would primarily subsidize trucks and large vehicles using natural gas, it does not require air quality improvements, and it does not address public transportation needs.
Prop 11
Endorsed Vote: No
Creates commission to head redrawing of district lines. 5 Republicans, 5 Democrats, 4 Independents
NO. The system is messed up and this wouldn’t change that. If we can’t have a new system entirely, then we at least need redistricting that truly allows for those who are underrepresented to be a part of the process and does not base this on a 2 party system.
Prop 12
Endorsed Vote: Yes
California would sell $.9 billion in bonds to pay loans for veterans to purchase homes.
YES. Since 1921, the state has offered veterans long-term, low-interest loans to finance the purchase of homes and farms through the Cal-Vet program. This would expand that program to 3,600 new veterans. To date, Cal-Vet program has been self-supporting, with mortgage payments by veterans paying for the bond debt and all operating costs. However, if veterans’ payments did not fully cover the amount owed on the bonds, the state would have to pay the difference. It's too bad that this kind of state support can't exist for more people.
Measure N
Endorsed Vote: No
To attract and retain highly qualified and credentialed teachers for Oakland's District-run public schools, and to support successful educational programs at Oakland's public charter schools, shall Oakland Unified School District levy $10 per parcel per month ($120 per year) for 10 years with an exemption for low-income residents, mandatory annual audits, an independent citizens' oversight committee, and all money spent to benefit Oakland Schools and all Oakland students
NO. The teachers union and other youth/school based organizations oppose this increase, which is not a comprehensive solution to the crisis of Oakland’s schools, and was not created with buy-in from key parties. Additionally we’d like to see a raise for other school employees, service workers.
Measure NN
Endorsed Vote: No
To provide more police services to neighborhoods and businesses for the purpose of preventing crime and enhancing resources for investigation of crimes, shall the City of Oakland authorize a parcel tax to fund the cost of (1) adding a total of 105 police officers and 75 police services technicians; (2) a crime data management system for crime analysis; and (3) mandatory independent annual audits and evaluations with performance standards.
NO. No more police! This in no way addresses any of the real ("root") problems facing our communities.
Measure 00
Endorsed Vote: Yes
To increase existing mandatory funding for children's and youth services, shall the City Charter be amended to (1) increase the annual set aside for grants to organizations serving children and youth to 1_ % for two years and 2_ % thereafter of the City's annual total revenues, with audits and an oversight committee, and (2) in addition to the set aside, increase the annual amount that the City is required to spend on children and youth
YES. This would ensure that youth programs in Oakland, working inside and outside of the school system would be guaranteed funding on a yearly basis, and would be able to grow in a sustainable way.
There is concern that this could take money out of libraries and parks and recs, why did the council members insist on this instead of taking away from the police? Hmmm, you tell me.
Measure VV
Endorsed Vote: Yes
To preserve affordable local public transportation that allows seniors and people with disabilities to remain independent, takes students to and from school, provides transportation alternatives given skyrocketing gas prices, helps residents commute to work and reduces traffic and greenhouse gases by getting cars off the road shall AC Transit increase its existing parcel tax by $4 per parcel per month ($96 per year) for ten years with independent oversight and all money staying local.
YES. Now is the time to support public transportation as the environment is going to shit and people in Oakland are being pushed out to places that are less and less accessible. This measure is supported by Oakland grassroots organizations working with youth and the elderly.
Measure WW
Endorsed Vote: Yes
To continue restoring urban creeks, protect wildlife, purchase/save open space, wetlands/shoreline, acquire/develop/improve local and regional parks, trails and recreational facilities, shall East Bay Regional Park District be authorized to issue up to $500 million in general obligation bonds, provided repayment projections, verified by independent auditors, demonstrate that property tax rates will not increase beyond present rates of $10 per year, per $100,000 of assessed valuation.
YES. This keeps our tax rates the same for continued support of local public parks and wildlife.
President
Obama
Endorsed Vote: Yes
We want him to win. Seems like California is going pretty strongly that direction! Vote OBAMA!
McKinney
Endorsed Vote: Yes
If you want to put your vote behind a third party candidate and believe in an alternative to the agendas of both McCain and Obama—vote Cynthia McKinney. She has a proven track record in both national and foreign policy in congress.
US Representative
Barbara Lee
Endorsed Vote: Yes
State Senator
Loni Hancock
Endorsed Vote: Yes
State Assembly
Sandre Swanson
Endorsed Vote: Yes
Judicial—Superior Court Judge, Office #9
Dennis Hayashi
Endorsed Vote: Yes
City of Oakland, Councilmember at Large
Rebecca Kaplan
Endorsed Vote: Yes
District—AC transit district director at large
Chris Peeples
Endorsed Vote: Yes
Incumbent
AC Transit District Director, Ward 2
Greg Harper
Endorsed Vote: Yes
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