My Vote
So last night the school board candidates spoke at our PTA meeting, which was the last part of my information gathering on this election.
So here's how I'm voting. I think everyone should vote their conscience, but if you are undecided please feel free to vote the way I am, alternately use this and your understanding of me to increase your understanding of the ballot.
One of the things someone suggested at the meeting was to start at the bottom on the local items, and work your way up, so I'm going to run through that way.
Measure H - Yes
I'm a tax and spend liberal, and this will probably concretely benefit my child. It's an increased parcel tx for schools. I actually agree that it would be better if we did funding on a statewide, or even nation wide scale in a predictable way, but until that covers education needs fully I'll probably vote for any chance to fund education.
DJUSD Board vote for 2 - Alan Fernandes and Bob Poppenga
I'm actually excited about Alan. He's focusing on children's health and happyness, and talking about needs of minorities where the other 3 seemed more interested in churning out college students. Bob seemed the best of the 3 talking about building relationships between students of different ages. Jose Granda had interesting points about English language learners, but opposes Measure H, and even if I was going to vote against it I would expect the board to attempt to get the funding. Susan Loveburg didn't adress what she would work on so much as point out that she was a veteran of the board. While I haven't been unhappy with the board so far I'm not voting for anyone who just talks about what they have done without talking about what they will do.
Los Rios - Cecilia Escamilla-Greenwald
She has the endorsment of the entire DJUSD, and that's really all I know about her.
Yolo County Board of Ed - Shelton B. Yip
Experienced educator over a non local lawyer. (I don't have anything particularly against lawyers, but I think educators are better for the Board of Education)
State Assembly - Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
I went for someone more liberal in the primary, but she's the best choice in this election.
State Senator - Mariko Yamada
US Representative - John Garamendi
Prop 51 - Yes
Bonds for schools
Prop 52 - Yes
Continue Hospital fees necessary because the governonr is playing politics with this standard fee
Prop 53 - No
State approval of bonds makes it too hard to stop vital local bonds
Prop 54 - Yes
Legislation public for 72 hours before votes. I don't actually plan to look at any of these, but I want the legislature to have that time, and if we don't insist on it being public it won't happen.
Prop 55 - Yes
extention to taxes for schools and medical
Prop 56 - Yes increased tax on cigarets it seems like a big bump, but it will bring us to parity with other states, and has been shown to decrease smoking.
Prop 57 - Yes
Possibility of early parole for non-violent crimes
Prop 58 - Yes
More flexibility in bilingual education
Prop 59 - Yes
Do something to stop Citizens United. It won't actually do anything, but if it gets a strong vote people can point to it as a sign of what the public thinks.
Prop 60 - No
Porn condoms. The really problematic part of this one is that the enforcement is anyone watching it sueing. Everyone I've heard about it who works in the industry says that it makes them less safe not more.
Prop 61 - Yes
Perscription costs tied to what the VA pays. There's consern that this will hurt the VA's ability to negotiate, and the oddity of doing it as a state rather than nationally. I think with CA as the 5th largest economy in the world state vs national isn't huge. Also this one does allow the legislature to adjust things if it turns out to be problematic.
Prop 62 - Yes
End the death penalty. We've had so many instances where someone was on death row and then evidence came out that proved they were innocent.
Prop 63 - Yes
Background check for ammunition purchase
Prop 64 - Yes
Marijuana legalization
Prop 65 - No
Requires that the fee for bags go to specific funds. Currently the grocery store gets it. In large grocers they may have some profit from this, but in smaller grocers they're taking a loss, and it adds unnecessary buraucracy.
Prop 66 - No
Speed up death penalty. I actually think this would be better than the current system if it would work, but it sounds like it wouldn't.
Prop 67 - Yes
No plastic grocery bags. We already approved this once. The bag makers managed to bring it back onto the ballot. Also we've done it in Davis for a while seems to be working well.
Senator - Kamala Harris
President - Hillary Clinton
In the primaries I voted for and supported Bernie Sanders. I like his policies better, but I was happy to have my choice of 2 candidates that I liked to vote for. She's going to make an amazing president. Also I prefer to stay positive, but I think it is vital to thoroughly trounce Donald Trump. We need to make absolutely clear that he does not represent America. We need to do this to help our look internationally, but more than that we need to show ourselves that we can be better than that.
So here's how I'm voting. I think everyone should vote their conscience, but if you are undecided please feel free to vote the way I am, alternately use this and your understanding of me to increase your understanding of the ballot.
One of the things someone suggested at the meeting was to start at the bottom on the local items, and work your way up, so I'm going to run through that way.
Measure H - Yes
I'm a tax and spend liberal, and this will probably concretely benefit my child. It's an increased parcel tx for schools. I actually agree that it would be better if we did funding on a statewide, or even nation wide scale in a predictable way, but until that covers education needs fully I'll probably vote for any chance to fund education.
DJUSD Board vote for 2 - Alan Fernandes and Bob Poppenga
I'm actually excited about Alan. He's focusing on children's health and happyness, and talking about needs of minorities where the other 3 seemed more interested in churning out college students. Bob seemed the best of the 3 talking about building relationships between students of different ages. Jose Granda had interesting points about English language learners, but opposes Measure H, and even if I was going to vote against it I would expect the board to attempt to get the funding. Susan Loveburg didn't adress what she would work on so much as point out that she was a veteran of the board. While I haven't been unhappy with the board so far I'm not voting for anyone who just talks about what they have done without talking about what they will do.
Los Rios - Cecilia Escamilla-Greenwald
She has the endorsment of the entire DJUSD, and that's really all I know about her.
Yolo County Board of Ed - Shelton B. Yip
Experienced educator over a non local lawyer. (I don't have anything particularly against lawyers, but I think educators are better for the Board of Education)
State Assembly - Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
I went for someone more liberal in the primary, but she's the best choice in this election.
State Senator - Mariko Yamada
US Representative - John Garamendi
Prop 51 - Yes
Bonds for schools
Prop 52 - Yes
Continue Hospital fees necessary because the governonr is playing politics with this standard fee
Prop 53 - No
State approval of bonds makes it too hard to stop vital local bonds
Prop 54 - Yes
Legislation public for 72 hours before votes. I don't actually plan to look at any of these, but I want the legislature to have that time, and if we don't insist on it being public it won't happen.
Prop 55 - Yes
extention to taxes for schools and medical
Prop 56 - Yes increased tax on cigarets it seems like a big bump, but it will bring us to parity with other states, and has been shown to decrease smoking.
Prop 57 - Yes
Possibility of early parole for non-violent crimes
Prop 58 - Yes
More flexibility in bilingual education
Prop 59 - Yes
Do something to stop Citizens United. It won't actually do anything, but if it gets a strong vote people can point to it as a sign of what the public thinks.
Prop 60 - No
Porn condoms. The really problematic part of this one is that the enforcement is anyone watching it sueing. Everyone I've heard about it who works in the industry says that it makes them less safe not more.
Prop 61 - Yes
Perscription costs tied to what the VA pays. There's consern that this will hurt the VA's ability to negotiate, and the oddity of doing it as a state rather than nationally. I think with CA as the 5th largest economy in the world state vs national isn't huge. Also this one does allow the legislature to adjust things if it turns out to be problematic.
Prop 62 - Yes
End the death penalty. We've had so many instances where someone was on death row and then evidence came out that proved they were innocent.
Prop 63 - Yes
Background check for ammunition purchase
Prop 64 - Yes
Marijuana legalization
Prop 65 - No
Requires that the fee for bags go to specific funds. Currently the grocery store gets it. In large grocers they may have some profit from this, but in smaller grocers they're taking a loss, and it adds unnecessary buraucracy.
Prop 66 - No
Speed up death penalty. I actually think this would be better than the current system if it would work, but it sounds like it wouldn't.
Prop 67 - Yes
No plastic grocery bags. We already approved this once. The bag makers managed to bring it back onto the ballot. Also we've done it in Davis for a while seems to be working well.
Senator - Kamala Harris
President - Hillary Clinton
In the primaries I voted for and supported Bernie Sanders. I like his policies better, but I was happy to have my choice of 2 candidates that I liked to vote for. She's going to make an amazing president. Also I prefer to stay positive, but I think it is vital to thoroughly trounce Donald Trump. We need to make absolutely clear that he does not represent America. We need to do this to help our look internationally, but more than that we need to show ourselves that we can be better than that.