There must be a reason why the 1967 classic rock hit by The Who, “Won’t Get Fooled Again“, is stuck in my head this week. Songwriter Peter Townshend could have very well been thinking about the state ballot initiatives, whose marketing schemes seem to have become more misleading in recent years. One only needs to look back to 2014 to the much-maligned (at least in Shasta County) Proposition 47, which was named by supporters as the “Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act”, yet has led to the early release of thousands of inmates across California back to the local sentencing county. Along with Proposition 57 and Assembly Bill 109, the three are known in some circles as “California’s dangerous trifecta”, due to the challenges they have created for local law enforcement agencies partly due to lack of consequences for serial thefts, drug offenses, and many other crimes that plague communities up and down the state.

Part of the challenge we face in our world today is the lack of attention span, (I recently think I heard that a goldfish has a greater attention span than today’s overly stimulated human…I’m not really sure…wasn’t paying attention), and the lack of trust that what we are being fed by “credible sources” is in fact…fact. We recommend that you investigate and verify. Doubt is ok if it leads you to seek truth. It is my hope that in your current journey to slueth out what is actual with the California ballot initiatives, you will take into consideration what the California Chamber of Commerce thinks. From increasing property tax for commercial properties, to rent control, to threats to the gig economy, the stakes are high. CalChamber has once again released its opinion of each initiative. Please take a few minutes and CLICK HERE.

One of the ballot initiatives, Proposition 20, would help to re-write some of the unintended negative consequences of Propositions 47 and 57. Called the “Keep California Safe” initiative, it has been publicly supported by the League of California Cities, CalChamber, and in our community, by the Anderson City Council. For more on this proposition, please CLICK HERE.

We know you are likely fed up with the constant firehose of political posts and ads coming at you full blast these days. It is important that you make your vote count this November. We hope this information helps you make a more-informed decision through the lens of business. I am happy to answer any questions you may have related to these initiatives.

Final take – Proposition 15 is dubbed the “Schools and Communities First” initiative by supporters (sound familiar?). If passed, it would be the single largest property tax increase in California history. Buyer beware.

Jake Mangas
President & CEO