Smart Voter
State of California November 3, 1998 General
Directory of California State Propositions
Propositions
Click on ballot measure for more detail.

Proposition 1A Class Size Reduction Kindergarten- University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 1998. (Bond Act. Put on the Ballot by the Legislature.)
4,886,570 / 62.5% Yes votes
2,934,131 / 37.5% No votes
This nine billion two hundred million dollar ($9,200,000,000) bond issue will provide funding for necessary education facilities for at least four years for class size reduction, to relieve overcrowding and accommodate student enrollment growth and to repair older schools and for wiring and cabling for education technology. Funds will also be used to upgrade and build new classrooms in community colleges, the California State University, and the University of California. These bonds may be used only for eligible construction projects. Fiscal Impact: State cost of about $15.2 billion to pay off both the principal ($9.2 billion) and interest ($6 billion) on the bonds. The average payment for principal and interest over 25 years would be about $600 million per year. State cost of $160 million to offset all or part of school-related development fees borne by certain homebuyers and renters.

Proposition 1 Property Taxes: Contaminated Property. (Legislative Constitutional Amendment. Put on the Ballot by the Legislature.)
5,366,159 / 71.1% Yes votes
2,185,831 / 28.9% No votes
Amends article XIII A of the Constitution, added by Proposition 13, to allow repair or replacement of environmentally-contaminated property or structures without increasing the tax valuation of original or replacement property. Fiscal Impact: Property tax revenue losses probably less than $1 million annually in the near term to schools, counties, cities, and special districts. School revenue losses (about half of total) would be made up by the state.

Proposition 2 Transportation: Funding. (Legislative Constitutional Amendment. Put on the Ballot by the Legislature.)
5,519,390 / 75.4% Yes votes
1,801,685 / 24.6% No votes
Imposes repayment conditions on loans of transportation revenues to the General Fund and local entities. Designates local transportation funds as trust funds and requires a transportation purpose for their use. Fiscal Impact: Not likely to have any fiscal impact on state and local governments.

Proposition 3 Partisan Presidential Primary Elections. (Legislative Initiative Amendment. Put on the Ballot by the Legislature.)
3,424,127 / 46.1% Yes votes
3,994,091 / 53.9% No votes
Changes existing open primary law to require closed, partisan primary for purposes of selecting delegates to national political party presidential nominating conventions. Limits voting for such delegates to voters registered by political party. Provides partisan ballots to be voted only by members of the particular party. Fiscal Impact: Minor costs to state and county governments statewide.

Proposition 4 Trapping Practices. Bans Use of Specified Traps and Animal Poisons. (Initiative Statute. Put on the Ballot by Petition Signatures.)
4,485,030 / 57.5% Yes votes
3,324,133 / 42.5% No votes
Prohibits trapping fur-bearing or nongame mammals with specified traps. Prohibits commerce in fur of animals so trapped. Generally prohibits steel-jawed leghold traps on mammals. Prohibits use of specified poisons on animals. Fiscal Impact: Unknown state and local costs of several hundred thousand to in the range of a couple of million dollars annually, depending on workload and effectiveness of alternative trapping methods.

Proposition 5 Tribal-State Gaming Compacts. Tribal Casinos. (Initiative Statute. Put on the Ballot by Petition Signatures.)
5,090,452 / 62.4% Yes votes
3,070,358 / 37.6% No votes
Specifies terms and conditions of mandatory compact between state and Indian tribes for gambling on tribal land. Allows slot machines and banked card games at tribal casinos. Fiscal Impact: Uncertain impact on state and local revenues, depending on the growth in gambling on Indian lands in California. Effect could range from little impact to significant annual revenue increases.

Proposition 6 Criminal Law. Prohibition on Slaughter of Horses and Sale of Horsemeat for Human Consumption. (Initiative Statute. Put on the Ballot by Petition Signatures.)
4,670,524 / 59.4% Yes votes
3,194,570 / 40.6% No votes
Makes possession, transfer, or receipt of horses for slaughter for human consumption a felony. Makes sale of horsemeat for human consumption a misdemeanor. Fiscal Impact: Probably minor, if any, law enforcement and incarceration costs.

Proposition 7 Air Quality Improvement. Tax Credits. (Initiative Statute. Put on the Ballot by Petition Signatures.)
3,313,816 / 43.6% Yes votes
4,282,557 / 56.4% No votes
Authorizes $218 million in state tax credits annually, until January 2011, to encourage air-emissions reductions through the acquisition, conversion, and retrofitting of vehicles and equipment. Fiscal Impact: Annual state revenue loss averaging tens of millions to over a hundred million dollars, to beyond 2010. Annually, through 2010-11: state cost of about $4.7 million; additional local revenues, potentially in the millions of dollars. Potential unknown long-term savings.

Proposition 8 Public Schools. Permanent Class Size Reduction. Parent-Teacher Councils. Teacher Credentialing. Pupil Suspension for Drug Possession. Chief Inspector's Office. (Initiative Statute. Put on the Ballot by Petition Signatures.)
2,913,430 / 36.8% Yes votes
4,989,466 / 63.2% No votes
Permanent class size reduction funding for districts establishing parent-teacher councils. Requires testing for teacher credentialing; pupil suspension for drug possession. Fiscal Impact: Creates up to $60 million in new state programs, offset in part by existing funds and fees. Local school districts' costs potentially in the high tens of millions of dollars annually.

Proposition 9 Electric Utilities. Assessments. Bonds. (Initiative Statute. Put on the Ballot by Petition Signatures.)
2,064,623 / 26.5% Yes votes
5,710,140 / 73.5% No votes
Prohibits assessment of taxes, bonds, surcharges to pay costs of nuclear power plants. Limits recovery by electric companies for costs of non-nuclear power plants. Prohibits issuance of rate reduction bonds. Fiscal Impact: State government net revenue reductions potentially in the high tens of millions of dollars annually through 2001-02. Local government net revenue reductions potentially in the tens of millions of dollars annually through 2001-02.

Proposition 10 State and County Early Childhood Development Programs. Additional Tobacco Surtax. (Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute. Put on the Ballot by Petition Signatures.)
4,042,466 / 50.5% Yes votes
3,962,738 / 49.5% No votes
Creates state and county commissions to establish early childhood development and smoking prevention programs. Imposes additional taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products. Fiscal Impact: New revenues and expenditures of $400 million in 1998-99 and $750 million annually. Reduced revenues for Proposition 99 programs of $18 million in 1998-99 and $7 million annually. Other minor revenue increases and potential unknown savings.

Proposition 11 Local Sales and Use Taxes-- Revenue Sharing (Legislative Constitutional Amendment. Put on the Ballot by Petition Signatures.)
3,896,675 / 53.4% Yes votes
3,408,640 / 46.6% No votes
This measure would authorize local governments to voluntarily enter into sales tax revenue sharing agreements by a two-thirds vote of the local city council or board of supervisors of each participating jurisdiction. Fiscal Impact: No net change in total sales tax revenues going to cities and counties. Potential shift of sales tax revenues among cities and counties.

  Official Information

Secretary of State

Nonpartisan Analysis

League of Women Voters of California

California Journal California Voter Foundation Campaign Finance Data

"Follow the Money"

Special Series on the Initiative Process

San Francisco Chronicle

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Created: February 16, 1999 18:53
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