SLO Tribune endorsements: Our recommendations on California’s 12 ballot measures

Two measures on the California ballot are commanding top billing right now — including one that’s breaking campaign spending records.

That would be Proposition 22, which asks voters to declare that drivers for apps like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash are contractors, rather than employees. Proponents have sunk over $185 million into the campaign so far, making it the most expensive ballot measure in U.S. history.

Prop. 15 is the other measure getting lots of attention. It would end tax breaks for commercial and industrial properties; supporters and opponents have invested a combined $64 million in their campaigns.

Beyond that, there are 10 other propositions on the California ballot that would affect criminal justice, voting rights, medical care, rent control and affirmative action.

For The Tribune’s endorsements on state and local races, click here.

Here’s a synopsis of all 12 measures, along with The Tribune’s recommendations.

Proposition 14

A $5.5 billion bond measure that would allow continued research on stem cell treatments.

Our recommendation: Yes

Previous funding resulted in research that saved and improved lives — curing more than 50 tiny “bubble baby” patients, developing two treatments for otherwise fatal blood cancers, and making strides against diabetes, blindness, paralysis and more.

Prop. 14 would expand research in diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke and epilepsy, and keep on track other work in ALS, heart and kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, HIV and much more. That’s worth every cent.

Proposition 15

The split-roll measure. This would end the Prop. 13 tax break for commercial and industrial properties by assessing them at current market value, rather than their value at the time of purchase. It would not affect residential property.

Our recommendation: No

We believe the split roll makes sense for California, but this isn’t the right time. Property owners could simply pass on tax increases to their tenants, causing even more business closures and job losses when we’re already at a tipping point due to COVID-19.

Read more here: This is the wrong time to overhaul California’s property tax law. Vote no on Prop. 15.

Proposition 16

Ends the ban on affirmative action passed by California voters in 1996. Passage would allow state universities like Cal Poly, along with government agencies, to consider race and gender in recruitment, admissions, hiring and contracting.

Our recommendation: YES

California is one of the most diverse states in the union, yet our universities and our board rooms don’t reflect that. (Dismal fact: According to Fortune magazine, only five CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are Black.)

While California is known as one of the most progressive states, it’s one of only around 10 states that ban affirmative action.

As a result, enrollment of Black and Latino students is lagging. At Cal Poly, less than 1 percent of students are Black, compared to 6% of the state’s population, despite the university’s efforts to recruit students of color.

Recent civil rights protests have highlighted the racial disparities that exist throughout the nation. This is an opportunity to do something about it.

Proposition 17

Allows parolees to vote.

Our recommendation: Yes

Parolees have served their time and should be encouraged to embrace the highest ideals of citizenship. Denying them the constitutional right to vote serves no purpose other than a punitive one. It also disproportionately affects people of color; according to the Public Policy Institute of California, at the end of 2016, 26% of parolees were Black, even though they made up only 6 percent of the state’s population.

Read more here: Two propositions let voters improve the fairness of California’s justice system.

Proposition 18

Allows 17-year-olds to vote in primaries and special elections, provided they are 18 by the time of the general election.

Our recommendation: Yes

As first-time voters, young people should have the opportunity to participate in the entire election cycle. Otherwise, we’re sending a message that primary elections don’t really matter, and it’s OK to just show up for the main event.

Read more here: Want to encourage young people to be lifelong voters? Say yes to Prop. 18

Proposition 19

This would expand the tax break for older homeowners, people who are disabled and victims of a natural disaster by allowing them to sell a home and buy a new one without seeing their property taxes take a big leap. They could do that three times, instead of just once in a lifetime, as current rules allow. Plus, they could buy anywhere in the state. They’re now limited to staying within the same county.

The measure also would close what’s known as the “Lebowski Loophole” after actor Jeff Bridges, who inherited a Malibu property that he and his family rent out for $15,000 a month, while according to CalMatters, they pay less than $6,000 per year in property taxes. Prop. 19 would require that inherited property be reassessed unless the new owners plan to live in it.

Some tax revenue would be lost by expanding the tax benefit for seniors, but would be gained by closing the Lebowski Loophole. “Overall, property taxes for local governments and schools probably would increase,” says the Legislative Analysts Office. There also would be some additional revenue generated for the state, which would go toward fire protection.

Our recommendation: Yes

It’s time to close the inherited property tax loophole exploited by an elite few and let Prop. 19 revenue help cities, counties, fire agencies and people who need to downsize or move closer to loved ones.

Proposition 20

Would roll back some of the recent criminal justice reforms passed by voters and the Legislature. Among other effects, it would create two new crimes, serial theft and organized retail theft; make more crimes ineligible for early parole; and require DNA samples to be collected from people convicted of certain misdemeanors, including crimes related to drugs, theft and domestic violence.

Our recommendation: NO

California embraced criminal justice reform because the state’s prisons had become humanitarian disaster zones that cost billions of dollars a year to maintain. That’s working; last year, in fact, crime in California fell to its lowest level in recorded state history. Any necessary improvements can be handled without Prop. 20’s attempt to restore the ghastly prison industrial complex.

Proposition 21

Rent control. It would allow cities and counties to place rent controls on units more than 15 years old. Rents could be raised no more than 15 percent during the first three years after a new renter moves in.

Our recommendation: No

In 2019, California lawmakers passed a rent control law that’s already among the toughest in the nation. It caps rent increases at 5% plus the rise in the rate of inflation, or 10% — whichever is lower. More stringent rent controls could discourage construction of new rental housing, which California desperately needs.

Proposition 22

Would allow Uber, Lyft and other app drivers to remain private contractors, rather than employees.

Our recommendation: No

We all want Uber, Lyft and other app-based drivers to get a fair shake — for their sake and ours.

Ride-hailing and delivery services have become indispensable. They’ve greatly improved the quality of life for nondrivers, especially in areas underserved by taxis and public transportation. And they’re a safe alternative for partiers who are in no shape to get behind a wheel a car.

Uber et al. are banking on us not wanting to jeopardize a very good thing.

To drive home their point, they’re bombarding us with testimonials from drivers who talk about how much they value and need the flexibility that the current system provides.

This is a tough call; drivers who want to work only occasionally, or for a temporary period of time, may be fine with remaining contract employees. But those who are working full time, or in some cases more than 40 hours per week, deserve the salary, benefits and protections other full-time employees receive.

Prop. 22 promises drivers will earn at least 120% of local minimum wage, but since drivers spend around a third of their time waiting for customers, that works out to around 80% of minimum wage. Also, drivers would receive no sick days or family leave.

The ideal situation would be a hybrid that allows part-time and occasional drivers to continue as contract employees and full-time drivers to be bonafide employees.

But really, it shouldn’t be up to voters to make labor law. What’s next? Will companies ask us to relax some health and safety regulations, or to reduce the minimum wage under certain circumstances? Which, come to think of it, is exactly what’s happening here.

This is a matter for the Legislature and the courts to decide; a no vote will send that message.

Proposition 23

Would require kidney dialysis clinics to have at least one licensed doctor on site during treatment.

Our recommendation: No

The requirement would increase health care costs by $320 million, according to an estimate by the Berkeley Research Group. That, in turn, could pressure the private companies that operate the clinics to cut back on facilities to save money, thus limiting where dialysis patients can go.

Most importantly, the physician requirement mandated by Proposition 23 would not improve medical oversight of dialysis patients in any meaningful way.

Read more here: Prop. 23 threatens treatments that keep kidney dialysis patients alive.

Proposition 24

Would strengthen consumer privacy law by Proposition 24, also known as the California Privacy Rights Act, would strengthen California’s landmark digital privacy law by requiring tech companies to refrain from sharing a consumer’s data if it receives a request from the consumer. It will require companies to provide an opt-out for people who don’t want those companies to share their sensitive personal information with marketers or advertisers. And it would protect kids by requiring tech companies to seek permission from an adult before harvesting data from children under the age of 13.

It would also create a new state agency to enforce privacy laws at an estimated cost of $10 million year; set new fines; and close loopholes in the existing state law that took effect this year.

Our recommendation: Yes

We live much of our lives online: We shop there, we bank there, we work there, we socialize there. Unfortunately, rules protecting our online privacy have lagged behind.

This is an effort to play catch-up. While it’s not the last word in consumer protection, it will provide meaningful safeguards and, equally important, the means to enforce the rules. Enforcement now rests mainly with the state Attorney General’s Office, but according to the Los Angeles Times, Attorney General Xavier Becerra has said that his office would be able to investigate only a handful of cases per year. That’s frightening.

Proposition 25

Prop. 25 would uphold bail reforms already passed by the Legislature by replacing cash bail with risk assessments to determine whether an arrested individual should be released.

Our recommendation: Yes

Bail reform was long overdue; the old system discriminated against poor people unable to pay thousands of dollars to stay out of jail while their cases went through the system. People of color were especially harmed by this unfair and archaic system.

The bail bond industry — which profits from the misery of the broken system — opposed reform and gathered enough signatures to force a referendum on SB 10, the Legislature’s bail reform law.

Voters should take this opportunity to uphold California’s sensible bail reform law by voting yes on Proposition 25.

Read more here: Two propositions let voters improve the fairness of California’s justice system.

Check out our Voter Guide

Still deciding how to vote on this race? In The Tribune’s Voter Guide, we’ve compiled information about both candidates as well as their responses on a number of key issues. You can also compare candidates for your local city council, community service district or school board.

Find The Tribune Voter Guide at sanluisobispo.com/voter-guide.

This story was originally published October 14, 2020 at 5:00 AM.