Ballot Buzz
By Betty Pleasant (Posted first at WAVE Newspapers.com)
In addition to the presidential, congressional, Assembly, supervisorial and judicial candidates in Tuesday’s election, the ballot has a huge undercard consisting of 12 state measures, two city measures, two school measures and one county measure on which we’re being asked to vote “yes” or “no.”
As far as I’m concerned, these 17 measures (or propositions) will present me the option to vote “no” or “hell no” on all of them because I can’t afford any of them.
As our local governments keep telling us, these are hard economic times for them; their tax revenues are dropping and they need more money to operate. Well, these are hard economic times for me, too. My net worth is dropping and I don’t have any money to give them. People around me are losing their homes, jobs and retirement funds and yet our local governments are coming to us Tuesday with their hands stuck out as if we, the people, are an ever-gushing fount of revenue.
Most of these ballot measures are asking us for more of our dwindling funds so the city, county, state and schools can do whatever they feel would be nice or necessary. I say “no” to that! What about the increases they’ve levied on us already on which we did not vote? Take the trash collection fees, for example. My trash collection fee on my last DWP bill was only $5 less than my actual water bill — and I have a swimming pool!! So I imagine the overwhelming majority of city residents are paying more for trash collection than for the water they use, simply because every time the city wants some money from us for whatever reason, they hike the trash fees.
AT&T has just announced it is raising the telephone costs from 10 to 25 percent beginning in January! We don’t get to vote on that; it’s just being done to us, as are increased airline costs and gas and food prices. The Los Angeles City Council, alone, votes to raise everything it calls a “fee” to any level whenever it feels like it, and it does. Lately the city increased parking fees, adoption fees, traffic tickets and auto impound fees among others. They’re “feeing” us to death, and now they want us to raise our own taxes. They’re crazier than they look!
Well, we do get to vote on 17 measures Tuesday and I recommend that you join me in voting a soft “no” on some of them and a hard “hell, no” on the others. I recommend a “hell no” vote on state Propositions 1A, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10, county Measure R and city Measure A. I recommend a softer “no” vote on state Propositions 3, 11 and 12, and school Measures J and Q. City Measure B requires passage so the city can receive its share of state and federal affordable housing funds. This measure won’t cost me anything so I may throw the powers-that-be a bone and vote “yes” on it — then again, I may not.
I am a knee-jerk animal lover and as such, I am conflicted about my position on Proposition 2. It is the other measure on which I am inclined to vote “yes.” On the one hand, I cannot tolerate the notion of animals being treated cruelly, but on the other hand, I cannot tolerate having to pay more for chicken. After all, this election is about my money. I haven’t made up my mind as to what I’m going to do about Proposition 2. Now, Proposition 8 is another matter. The passage or failure of Proposition 8 has no affect on my pocket book, so I’m going to vote my personal feelings on the subject. I suggest you do the same.
My whole thing is this: President Barack Obama is going to give me a much-needed tax cut and I will not waste that cut by voting to increase my taxes to the state, county and city. These entities must find innovative ways to make do with what they have the same way you and I have to do every day of our lives. They have to tighten their belts, reduce their bloated staffs, put some of their perks in the lay-away and lower their expectations. So, when you go to the polls Tuesday, keep it simple and vote “yes” on Barack Obama; “yes” on Mark Ridley-Thomas and “no” on just about everything else. (Betty Pleasant is writes Soulvine for the WAVE Newspapers. Read more of her column and other WAVE news and views at www.wavenewspapers.com ) ◘
CityWatch
Vol 6 Issue 88
Pub: Oct 31, 2008
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