tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12798432.post7910698058017151272..comments2024-03-21T03:51:26.136-07:00Comments on RFK Action Front: The Constitutional case against Proposition 13RFK Action Fronthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13367576871260141948noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12798432.post-1688285707089873272009-11-04T00:05:26.271-08:002009-11-04T00:05:26.271-08:00Hi Tom, thanks for the comment! Yes indeed, Prop....Hi Tom, thanks for the comment! Yes indeed, Prop. 13 was like Tanya Harding with a wrench whacking the state in the kneecaps. Everything since then has been kinda painful and not so good for everyone. <br /><br />Hi Sarah, thanks for your comment too! In reply to your question (from the Wikipedia entry on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposition_13" rel="nofollow">Prop 13</a>): <br /><br />"On November 7, 2000, voters in the state approved Proposition 39. This initiative state constitutional amendment and statute lowered the threshold for electoral passage of local school bond acts from Proposition 13's required 2/3rds super-majority, to a super-majority of 55 percent."<br /><br />It's a good step that has led to the passage of many more school bonds than was possible before. But it still seems to me that a 55% supermajority is about as odd as a 67% supermajority. Adding to the irony, the Prop 39 constitutional amendment, passed with 53.3% of the vote -- which is less than the 55% standard it set for future ballot measures (just as Prop 13 also failed to meet the 67% standard it set for future voters).<br /><br />Thus the lesson to California voters is this: tinker with the California Constitution all you want (simple majority) but passing a tax to fund schools requires an extra special super burden of popularity and passing any other kind of tax basically requires an act of God. No wonder then that the state is always such a tangled mess.RFK Action Fronthttp://www.rfkactionfront.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12798432.post-28090010502580082192009-11-03T22:04:24.049-08:002009-11-03T22:04:24.049-08:00Well said. Has there been a ballot measure in Cal...Well said. Has there been a ballot measure in California that would change the requirement for raising local taxes from the current supermajority to a simple majority? Would this have any chance of winning?Sarah Bunkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15883963855855004605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12798432.post-18016652316848020832009-10-25T13:46:46.371-07:002009-10-25T13:46:46.371-07:00It seems that every time I look at some big proble...It seems that every time I look at some big problem going on internally to the union it falls back on California leading the way into disaster due to Prop 13 not allowing good progress.tommymotohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880650718486285187noreply@blogger.com