These points are all you really need to know about the proposition issue in California.
1. These are almost always put on the ballot by special interests groups to benefit them, but hedge the language so they appear to say something different.
2. While the legislature has its own issues to deal with (primarily term limits, which I believe came from another proposition and has caused most of the stagnation in the legislature), propositions do NOT get vetted by the review process. They go into affect without consequences being fully analyzed.
3. Any proposition that costs money to implement, and most have well-hidden costs besides the stated costs, the money to pay for them comes right out of other state services funded by the General Fund, including bonds that have to be paid back over time. So vote for that high speed rail, farm animal rights, children hospital and veteran loans. If they cost money, then education will be cut, police forces will be cut, water and sewer services will be reduced, and fees will need to go up.
4. We are already facing another 11 billion deficit in the current budget year. This means there is no money - none - nada - zilch - beyond negative - to pay for any new bonds to cover the propositions that just passed. Nothing at all.
5. State workers are going to get one day a month furloughed and two state holidays taken away for the next 17-18 months, so our contribution to the economy, including taxes to pay for these new funding requirements, are going way, way down. We will not be buying much and therefore not contributing to sales taxes or other services that might help boost the economy, but that logic seems to escape the powers that be.
