2012 California Ballot Initiatives - Green Party Recommendations

Prop #	Name	Position	Result	Comments
30	Temporary Taxes to Fund Education	YES	YES :)	This is Governor Jerry Brown's proposed temporary tax measure to bridge the State's ongoing budget gap, which has particularly affected school funding. After tens of billions of dollars in cuts, we need to increase revenues to make up the shortfall.
31	Constitutional Amendment to CA Budget Process	NO	NO :)	Billed as a reform of our broken budget system, the provisions of this initiative go too far, allowing local governments to overrule State laws and giving the Governor blanket authority to slash the budget.
32	Special Exemptions for Corporations & PACs	NO	NO :^)	This is initiative is worse than Citizen's United, giving blanket exemptions to PACs and Corporations to spend unlimited amounts of $$ on the political process while gagging unions. Visit the NO on 32 website for more info.
33	Auto Insurance Rate Hikes	NO	NO :)	Mercury Insurance's attempt to raise rates on anyone that goes without car insurance for any period of time (e.g. if someone sells their car and takes mass transit, then buys a car later, their insurance rates would be much higher).
34	Repeal of Death Penalty	YES	NO :(	As more and more death penalty cases are overturned due to DNA or other evidence, it's clear our current criminal justice system is too imperfect to continue to allow the death penalty. Replacing it with life in prison would also save tens of millions of dollars every year.
35	Human Trafficking Penalties	YES	YES :)	Human trafficking is on the rise. This would increase penalties for human traffickers and would prevent the sexual conduct of victims, who may be forced into prostitution, from being used against them in court.
36	Three Strikes Law Fix	YES	YES :)	The 3 strikes law has led to life sentences for minor crimes such as stealing a pizza, burdening our already overcrowded penal system. Prop 36 would require 3rd strikes to be serious or violent, saving as much as $100 million annually and allowing non-violent offenders to be rehabilitated.
37	Labeling Genetically Engineered Food	YES	NO :(	This relatively modest initiative requires foods containing genetically engineered plants or animals. Big corporations are opposing it since they know many people would prefer to buy natural food. Shouldn't consumers have a right to know?
38	Income Tax to Fund Education and Pay Down Debt	YES	NO :/	This would raise taxes from 0.4% to 2.2% in order to raise additional money for schools and pay down the State's debt.
39	End Corporate Loopholes to Invest in Clean Energy	YES	YES :)	This is an easy yes - end tax loopholes for out of State corporations and use the funding to support clean energy.
40	Confirming the Independent Redistricting Maps	YES	YES :)	This is a bit confusing - Republicans were opposed to the independent Citizens Redistricting Commission's new Senate District maps, so they sponsored a ballot initiative forcing voters to validate the maps, but then abandoned their efforts when they realized the independent commission was very popular. Voting YES means you support citizen-drawn maps over maps drawn up in backroom deals the way they used to be.