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> 2010 Propositions
September 15,
2010
Redondo
Beach Chamber Positions On November 2010 Ballot Measures
The Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
reviewed all statewide ballot measures on the November 2,
2010 statewide ballot. Each measure will have an impact on
the Redondo Beach business community.
Proposition 19: Legalization and Taxation of Marijuana
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: OPPOSE
Proposition 19 allows people 21 years old or older to
possess, cultivate, or transport marijuana for personal use
while permitting local governments to regulate and tax
commercial production and sale of marijuana to people 21
years old or older. Furthermore, prohibits people from
possessing marijuana on school grounds, using it in public,
smoking it while minors are present, or providing it to
anyone under 21 years old and maintains current prohibitions
against driving while impaired.
Proposition 20: Voters FIRST Act for Congress
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: SUPPORT
The Proposition 20 extends the responsibilities of the
Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission) and gives the
Commission the authority to draw the boundaries for the
United States Congressional Districts.
Proposition 21: Vehicle License Surcharge to Fund State
Parks
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Proposition 21 establishes an $18 annual state vehicle
license surcharge and grants free admission to all state
parks to surcharged vehicles and requires deposit of
surcharge revenue in a new trust fund. The trust funds would
be used solely to operate, maintain and repair the state
park system, and to protect wildlife and natural resources.
The Proposition exempts commercial vehicles, trailers and
trailer coaches from the surcharge and requires annual
independent audit and review by citizens’ oversight
committee.
Proposition 22: Local Taxpayers, Public Safety,
Transportation Act
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: SUPPORT
This Proposition would prohibit the State from taking,
borrowing or redirecting local taxpayer funds dedicated to
public safety, emergency response and other vital local
government services. Furthermore, the act would protect
vital, dedicated transportation and public transit funds
from state raids.
Proposition 23: Suspension of AB 32
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Also known as the California Jobs Initiative, Proposition 23
would delay the operation and implementation of AB 32 until
California’s unemployment rate returns to the levels that
existed at the time of its adoption, 5.5% or less, for four
consecutive calendar quarters.
Proposition 24: Repeal of Corporate Tax Breaks
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: OPPOSE
Proposition 24 would repeal several corporate tax reforms
that are slated to go into effect in 2010 and 2012. The
corporate tax reforms were approved by the Legislature and
signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in
February 2009 as part of the budget agreement.
Proposition 25: Vote Requirement for Passage of State
Budget
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: OPPOSE
The Proposition changes the legislative vote requirement
necessary to pass the state budget from two-thirds to a
simple majority. Furthermore, it provides that if the
Legislature fails to pass a budget bill by June 15, all
members of the Legislature will permanently forfeit any
reimbursement for salary and expenses for every day until
the day the Legislature passes a budget bill.
Proposition 26: Vote Requirement for State Levies and
Charges
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Proposition 26 increases legislative vote requirement to
two-thirds for state levies and charges, with limited
exceptions, and for certain taxes currently subject to
majority vote. This Proposition changes the State
Constitution to require voters to approve, either by
two-thirds or majority, local levies and charges with
limited exceptions.
Proposition 27: Elimination State Commission on
Redistricting
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: OPPOSE
Proposition 27 eliminates 14-member redistricting commission
(created by Proposition 11, 2008) selected from applicant
pool picked by government auditors and consolidates
authority for establishing state Assembly, Senate, and Board
of Equalization district boundaries with elected state
representatives responsible for drawing congressional
districts.
Note: The Redondo Beach Chamber is delaying its
consideration of Proposition 18: Safe, Clean, and Reliable
Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010 due to it being postponed
to the November 2012 ballot.
May 26,
2010
Redondo Beach Chamber Takes
Action On June 8th Statewide Ballot Measures
The Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
urges the local Redondo Beach business community to
understand the impact of the June 8, 2010 statewide ballot
measures on the local economy. Specifically, the five
measures on the June ballot will have direct impacts on
Redondo Beach’s recovering economy and the Chamber is
working hard to educate local businesses on why each of them
are important.
“It is the responsibility of the Redondo Beach Chamber to
represent the interests of our businesses at all levels of
government,” stated Marna Smeltzer, President/CEO of the
Chamber. “We are most effective when our businesses
understand the issues facing all of us and they help play an
active role in each issue,” Smeltzer continued.
The following five measures will appear on the June 2010
ballot.
Proposition 13: Seismic Retrofitting
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Proposition 13, a constitutional amendment, would prohibit
tax assessors from re-evaluating new construction for
property tax purposes when the point of the new construction
is to seismically retrofit an existing building. Earthquake
safety improvements made to unreinforced masonry (such as
brick) buildings would not result in higher property taxes
until the building is sold. The Redondo Beach Chamber
believes it is reasonable to allow for seismic upgrades to
not be considered as improvements to commercial or
residential property for the purposes of reassessing the
value of property.
Proposition 14: Elections: Open Primaries
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Proposition 14, a state constitutional amendment, would
require that candidates run in a single primary open to all
registered voters, with the top two vote-getters meeting in
a runoff. The new system would take effect in the 2012
elections. This proposition will open the primary to allow
for all candidates to face voters in the June primary
election regardless of partisanship. This will allow for
more choices earlier in the election process and provide
voters with the opportunity to vote for any candidate.
Proposition 15: California Fair Election Act
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: OPPOSE
Proposition 15 would lift the state ban on public funding
for political campaigns and asses fees on registered
lobbyists in California in order to fund candidates for the
Office of the Secretary of State of California in 2014 and
2018. The Redondo Beach Chamber does not support the idea of
taxing lobbyists to pay for a new election process. Also,
the Chamber is concerned that the process for qualifying for
the public financing for the campaign to run for Secretary
of State will be cumbersome and an administrative burden to
the process.
Proposition 16: Taxpayers Right To Vote Act
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: OPPOSE
Proposition 16 is a state constitutional amendment, if
passed, would require a two-thirds voter approval before
local governments can provide electricity service to
customers or implement a community choice electricity
program using public funds or bonds. The Redondo Beach
Chamber supports the idea of allowing municipal governments
to engage in providing electricity coverage to their
citizens. However, expanding the approval process for doing
so from a vote of a city council to a super majority of
their constituents is too constrictive and will limit any
local government from even attempting the process in the
first place.
Proposition 17: Continuous Coverage Auto Insurance
Discount Act
Redondo Beach Chamber Position: SUPPORT
Proposition 17
amends Proposition 103 (1988) that authorizes the use of an
additional discount on premiums for automobile insurance
policies. Proposition 17 would allow an insurer to offer a
“continuous coverage” discount to new customers who have
maintained their coverage while they previously were
customers of another insurer. The Redondo Beach Chamber
understands that many states already mandates this ability
for consumers to maintain their discount if they switch
insurance carriers. Also, most insurance companies in
California already afford this ability to consumers. The
Chamber feels it is reasonable to place this ability in
state law to protect businesses and consumers from ever
losing this ability.
December 1, 2009
Help Protect Vital Local Services!
The State continues to borrow money from city, county,
transportation, redevelopment and special districts funds in
order to balance the budget. With a reported shortfall of
$20 billion and more, the State is poised to borrow once
again these much needed funds for local operations such as
police and fire, transportation projects that are already in
the works and other vital services in our city.
The Chamber is proud to announce that it is an early
supporter of an upcoming ballot measure that aims to
prohibit the State from taking and borrowing our local
funds. The Local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation
Protection Act, which is scheduled for the November 2010
statewide ballot, would do the following:
• Prohibit the State from taking, borrowing or redirecting
local taxpayer funds dedicated to public safety, emergency
response and other vital local government services.
• Protects vital, dedicated transportation and public
transit funds from state raids.
• Protects local taxpayers by keeping more of our local tax
dollars local where there’s more accountability to voters,
and by ensuring once and for all that our gas taxes go to
fund road improvements.
As more information on the 2010 ballot measures become
available, the Chamber will continue to release more
information on each measure and the Chamber’s position in
order to help serve the Redondo Beach business community
during election time.
December 1, 2009
Chamber Prepares for 2010 Ballot Measures
In the coming months the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce &
Visitors Bureau will begin reviewing and taking positions on
the many initiatives expected in 2010. Many of the measures
aim to impact business in one form or another. The Chamber,
through its hard working and dedicated members of the
Government Relations Committee, will spend time on each
issue that may impact the Redondo Beach business community
and release a formal position.
“We are looking forward to a very busy year of ballot
measures,” stated Marna Smeltzer, President and CEO of the
Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau. “We
want to make sure the Redondo Beach business community will
be protected and will review thoroughly each measure as the
elections draw near,” continued Smeltzer.
The following is only the beginning of the over 20 expected
ballot measures for 2010.
Repeal Corporate Tax Loopholes Act
This measure would repeal recently-enacted tax benefits, the
elective single sales factor, net operating loss (NOL)
carryback, and tax credit sharing. It would additionally
repeal the recently-enacted expansion of the net operating
loss carryover from 10 to 20 years.
The Local Voter Control and Government Accountability Act
Removes Proposition 13 protections from property owners and
imposes a “split roll” tax treatment for commercial
properties. If enacted, this measure would remove the one
percent cap for property taxes for the purpose of raising
funds to serve and repay General Obligation bonds for public
infrastructure. Additionally, the measure would reduce the
two-thirds vote requirement for all special taxes to 55
percent, including parcel taxes (based upon per parcel
rather than based upon value).
Protect Homeowners and Close Corporate Tax Loopholes Act
Imposes a split roll tax treatment for commercial property
and requires all non-residential commercial properties to be
immediately reassessed according to “full cash value,”
without regard to whether change of ownership has
occurred. It also requires reassessment at current fair
market value at least every three years.
Education and Taxpayer Fairness Act
Imposes a split roll tax treatment and increases taxes on
commercial properties. The measure would increase the one
percent tax rate for “non-residential” properties to 1.55
percent in order to fund education.
“Corporate Taxes” Initiative
The “Corporate Taxes” initiative proposes to repeal several
changes in the law that were adopted as part of the two most
recent budget packages enacted by the state, in fall 2008
and February 2009: 1) net operating loss carryback; 2) tax
credit sharing; and 3) elective single sales factor.
Sinclair Fix Initiative
Reduces burdensome tax-like fees on businesses by reversing
the overly-broad, vague definition of “fee” set forth in the
landmark California Supreme court case Sinclair Paint v.
State Board of Equalization.
Local Taxpayer, Public Safety and Transportation Act
This measure would prohibit the State from taking, borrowing
or redirecting local taxpayer funds dedicated to public
safety, emergency response and other vital local government
services. Furthermore, the act would protect vital,
dedicated transportation and public transit funds from state
raids.
Click here
to contact the Redondo Beach Chamber
for more
information
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