Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/87962
4A Daily News – Tuesday, October 16, 2012 Opinion Two cents worth on Propositions 36 through 40 DAILYNEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer's home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. 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How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 This column offers my opin- ions on the 2012 California Propositions appearing on the bal- lot that I did not discuss last week. Due to the complexity and nuances of many of these proposi- tions it is important to review details in the Official Voter Infor- mation Guide available from the election office in print or electron- ically at http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov. Proposition 36: THREE STRIKES LAW - revises law to impose life sentence only when a new felony conviction is serious or violent and may authorize re- sentencing if a third strike convic- tion was not serious or violent. Your yes vote will save the state in excess of $70 million per year by fixing the presently flawed law which requires life sentences for those who have two serious or violent felonies if they are subse- quently convicted of any crime, no matter how minor it is. This isn't baseball, but real life, where a strike should only be called if it is serious or violent in nature. I say vote yes on 36. LY ENGINEERED FOODS - requires labeling of food sold to consumers that is changed in specified ways and prohibits mar- keting such food, or other processed food, as "natural." This proposal will increase regulatory and administrative costs associat- Proposition 37: GENETICAL- ed with food production and pur- chase in California but offers no substantiated benefit to con- sumers. There is no compelling evidence that genetically altered foods are unhealthy but much evi- dence they offer improved yields and pest resistance for farmers, thereby significantly reducing food costs and adverse environ- mental impacts. Those that wish to market GMO-free foods are free to do so by labeling them as such so those that believe they are beneficial can act accordingly. I say vote no on 37. Proposition 38: TAX TO FUND EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PRO- GRAMS - increases taxes on earnings using sliding scale, for twelve years so revenues go to K–12 schools and early childhood programs, and for four years to repaying state debt. This is better than Proposition 30 to address the fiscal fiasco known as the Califor- nia state budget because it does not regressively raise state sales tax nor permit politicians in Sacramento to interrupt the dis- bursement of funds to local school districts. Everyone earning more than $18,000 per year in Califor- nia will contribute on a sliding scale to ensure adequate funding for schools, child care, and preschool, as well as providing savings on state debt payments. This is the most equitable and effective way to address our edu- cation and state debt require- ments. I say vote yes on 38. TREATMENT FOR MULTISTATE BUSI- NESSES - requires mul- tistate businesses to pay income taxes based on percentage of their sales in California and dedi- cates revenues for five years to clean/efficient energy projects. By closing a loophole that allows multistate corpo- rations to avoid payment of California taxes this proposition will increase state revenues of $1 bil- lion annually, with half of the revenues over the next five years spent on energy efficiency projects with most of the remaining revenues spent on schools. Proposition 39: TAX squawk that this is a "tax on job creators," don't be fooled since most job creators are neither mul- tistate nor opposed to keeping jobs in California. Wasteful or non-productive meddling of the state legislature is restricted so the funds acquired are used for energy efficiency projects and schools. I say vote yes on 39. Proposition 40: REDISTRICT- While Republicans ING STATE SENATE DIS- TRICTS – a referendum on recent- Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point ly passed law where a "Yes" vote approves and a "No" vote rejects, new State Senate dis- tricts drawn by the Citi- zens Redistricting Com- mission. If rejected, dis- tricts will be adjusted by officials supervised by the California Supreme Court. However, due to the State Supreme Court's ruling that kept these districts in place for 2012, the proposi- tion sponsors have sus- pended the campaign and no longer seek a no vote. This is a true no- brainer because voting yes saves funds, time, and energy. I say vote yes on 40. tive points on the state proposi- tions, but the most important proposition for unregistered vot- ers is to register at the election office, the Democratic campaign offices at 446 Walnut St. in Red Bluff or 1311 Solano St. in Corn- ing or via the Internet on or before next Monday. For registered vot- ers it is your responsibility to get to the polls or submit an absentee ballot so it is received at the elec- tions office by 8pm on Election Day November 6, 2012. These are my posi- Richard Mazzucchi can be reached at living-green@att.net. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2595 Ceanothus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 893- 8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Fein- stein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707.Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Mont- gomery St., Suite 240, San Francis- co, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. You might want to consider when voting ... Commentary isn't your cup of tea, or you plan to record it, replay your favorite guy's answers and skip those from the guy you loathe, the Tea Party Patri- ots will host State Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, of the 59th district (San Bernardino area). Debate watching may complement interac- tion with a Republican who may, rumor has it, set his sights on a run for Governor. Certainly, consider- ing the budgetary, business, energy and fuel shambles the ruling party has produced in California, it's hard to see even the mind-numbed, low information denizens of our state's urban cesspools not throwing out the Democratic authors of said shambles. If watching tonight's debate corporate and union contributions to candidates, directly or indirectly (through committees). Does not affect independent expenditures or member communications. It elimi- nates payroll deductions from employee paychecks for political spending for corporations, unions and government contractors." Now, the CRP does recommend Speaking of which, another election with another slew of so- called citizen legislation greets us in the mailbox, on the radio and TV. Absentee ballots and a voluminous, nearly-150 page, quarter-inch thick "Official Voter Information Guide" have arrived. Who needs baseball playoffs, NFL and college football and new, improved broadcast and cable fare when you can sequester yourself with the "Guide" and make the rest of the world go away? (vote yes on 32)? The short version of safe voting on the propositions is to just vote "no" on all of them, but "yes" on 32, the "Political Contri- butions by Payroll Deduction," or "Stop Special Interest Money" measure. The Conservative Repub- licans of California (CRP), an orga- nization much closer to the voting majorities of Tehama County than Democrat Party hacks, summarize Proposition 32 thusly: "Prohibits Can I help sort out the issues a YES vote on 33 (Auto Insurance Discounts) and 35 (Human Traf- ficking) so there may be some merit to those initiatives, if you read over the material and so conclude. However, I find the whole initiative process so fraught with unintended consequences that I can't help but think even those proposals may contain flaws not apparent on first glance. dized if they get to keep more of their own money. Just think of it like a vicious (to taxpay- ers), self-perpetuating scam: You pay taxes, which support the pay and benefits of public employees, whose union dues are deducted auto- matically, including a hefty portion for political campaigns, that get con- tributed to candidates that promise to vote however the unions demand and, in the case of propositions, that money is spent against your interests and desires. This issue of forced payroll deductions for unions, particularly public employee unions, should just grate on the nerves of everyone as a forced "shakedown" of peo- ple's money for political purposes that many simply don't agree with or support. The talking points I've heard, all products of union politi- cal coffers, disingenuously try to persuade you that these well-com- pensated public servants will be worse off, yes, worse off if their unions, which they are forced to join to keep their job, leave dues destined for political ads in the workers' paychecks. Think of the chutzpah involved in these union bosses and mouth- pieces, who exist solely because of the taxpayers' revenue that goes to public employees' paychecks to be confiscated for dues – the arro- gance and gall of these people to tell us that their middle-class lifestyles and benefits are jeopar- Don Hence, union money is poured out to fight Prop 32 because it would greatly restrict their reaching into union members' paychecks. Not only that, but your own money is skimmed off to finance tax-hiking measures on … well, on you. It has to be stopped and the only way to do that is to cut union bosses off from automatic political with- drawals from workers wallets. Yes, they are using your own tax money to try to persuade you to vote YES on Propositions 30 and 38, which will hike your sales tax rate and taxes on so-called wealthy (Prop 30). Prop 38 is "more extensive than Prop 30, (and) would increase personal income taxes on everyone making more than $7,316 annually in California taxable income." (CRP) Don't be fooled – until Sacra- mento Democrats and union bosses are slapped down in their efforts to persuade us to raise our taxes and send more to the Sacramento, they will never get serious about reduc- ing what they spend and take. And that "tax the rich" element? Yeah, that won't hurt you unless you work for someone that will cut your job to pay more in taxes, or if your company or owner leaves the state, or if your marginal business depends on the discre- tionary spending of "the rich." Polson The way I see it heck out of businesses) regarding the phony, made-up issue of label- ing for so-called genetically mod- ified (GM) ingredients. Folks, there simply is no risk or threat to you or your food from GM ingre- dients, any more than there is from so-called "non-organic" foods you find in grocery stores. That was the conclusion of Stan- ford University doctors: No evi- dence that going organic is health- ier. There is no compelling reason why California should impose such labeling requirements, which, by the way, will not stand up to lawsuits because federal reg- ulations trump such misguided state rules, even if done by propo- sition, because interstate com- merce is involved. Another "don't be fooled" one is Proposi- tion 37 (vote no), which would create a virtually unenforceable hodge- podge of rules (well, except for enforcement by lawyers suing the Don Polson can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.