San Bernardino and Riverside County Voter Information Guides for the November 8, 2016 Presidential General Election have been delivered to the post office and early voting for the election began at the Elections Office on Monday, October 10.
If you have not been keeping up with national, state, and local campaign discussions you have missed many critical issues that you should be aware of as well as candidates you should be critical of when considering who deserves your vote. Like Donald Trump, some have openly stated positions against minorities, women, people with disabilities and Muslims while other candidates –even those on the local level — have used more subtle language to convey the same message, using phrases like “them versus us” or “Obamacare verses Affordable Care Act.” Please give more consideration to people who have a history of inclusion before you vote. I now offer you my recommendations on people, propositions and local measures to support:
Hillary Clinton, U.S. President
Kamala Harris, U.S. Senate
Norma Torres, U.S. House of Representatives, District 35
Pete Aguilar, U.S. House of Representatives, District 31
Mark Takano, U.S. House of Representatives, District 41
Richard Roth, State Senate, District 31
Abigail Medina, State Assembly, District 40
Cheryl Brown, State Assembly, District 47
Freddie Rodriguez, State Assembly, District 52
Jose Medina, State Assembly, District 61
Chuck Washington, Riverside County Supervisor, 3rd District
Denise Fleming, Mayor, Moreno Valley
Tonya Burke, Mayor, Perris
Rita Rodgers, City Council, Perris
Governing Board of the San Bernardino Community College District
Paul Rasso, District 1
Gloria Macias Harrison, District 5
San Bernardino County School Board
Laura Mancho, Area C
Fontana
BarBara Chavez, School Board
Lorena Corona, School Board
Lydia Salazar-Wilbert, City Council
Jesus Sandoval, City Council
Colton
Carolina Padilla, City Clerk
Arrellio De La Torres, Treasurer
Frank Navarro, City Council, Dist. 3
Sarah Zamora, City Council, Dist. 6
Grand Terrace
Sylvia Robles, City Council
William Hussey, City Council
Rialto
Deborah Robertson, Mayor
Rafael Trujillo, City Council
Jesse Aguayo, City Council
Barbara McGee, City Clerk
Edward Carrillo, Treasurer
San Bernardino Municipal Water District
Ed Kilgore, Division 1
Randall Ceniceros, Division 2
San Bernardino City
Yes on Measure L, Help fix the city with a new charter
No on Measure N, regulates medical marijuana use
Yes on Measure O regulates all aspects of marijuana use in the city
No on Measure P regulates the establishment for marijuana businesses
Riverside City
Yes on Measure O, Riverside Schools facilities funding
Summary of 17 State Propositions
51- YES-Authorizes $9 billion in general obligation bonds for new construction and modernization of K–12 public school facilities; charter schools and vocational education facilities; and California Community Colleges facilities.
52-YES-Extends indefinitely an existing statute that imposes fees on hospitals to fund Medi-Cal health care services, care for uninsured patients, and children’s health coverage.
53-No-Requires statewide voter approval before any revenue bonds can be issued or sold by the state for certain projects if the bond amount exceeds $2 billion.
54-No-Prohibits the Legislature from passing any bill unless published on the Internet for 72 hours before the vote. Requires Legislature to record its proceedings and post on the Internet. People are clamoring for more transparency but this will only be used by special interests to brow beat legislators at the last minute before voting and not the average poor citizen that they claim to help.
55-Yes-Extends by twelve years the temporary personal income tax increases enacted in 2012 on earnings over $250,000, with revenues allocated to K–12 schools, California Community Colleges, and, in certain years, healthcare.
56-No-Increases cigarette tax by $2.00 per pack, with equivalent increase on other tobacco products and electronic cigarettes containing nicotine
57-Yes-Allows parole consideration for nonviolent felons. Authorizes sentence credits for rehabilitation, good behavior, and education.
58-Yes-Preserves requirement that public schools ensure students obtain English language proficiency. Requires school districts to solicit parent/community input in developing language acquisition programs. Requires instruction to ensure English acquisition as rapidly and effectively as possible. Authorizes school districts to establish dual–language immersion programs for both native and non–native English speakers.
59-Yes-Asks whether California's elected officials should use their authority to propose and ratify an amendment to the federal Constitution overturning the United States Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Citizens United ruled that laws placing certain limits on political spending by corporations and unions are unconstitutional.
60-Yes-Requires adult film performers to use condoms during filming of sexual intercourse. Requires producers to pay for performer vaccinations, testing, and medical examinations. Requires producers to post condom requirement at film sites.
61-No-Prohibits state from buying any prescription drug from a drug manufacturer at price over lowest price paid for the drug by United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Exempts managed care programs funded through Medi–Cal.
62-Yes-Repeals the death penalty and replaces it with life imprisonment without possibility of parole. Applies retroactively to existing death sentences. Increases the portion of life inmates' wages that may be applied to victim restitution.
63-No-Requires background check and Department of Justice authorization to purchase ammunition. Prohibits possession of large–capacity ammunition magazines. Establishes procedures for enforcing laws prohibiting firearm possession by specified persons. Requires Department of Justice's participation in federal National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The California Police Chiefs Assn. has decided to oppose Proposition 63, arguing the gun control measure that will be on California's ballot “fails to meet the appropriate balance between public safety and individual gun rights.”
64-No-Legalizes marijuana under state law, for use by adults 21 or older. Imposes state taxes on sales and cultivation. Provides for industry licensing and establishes standards for marijuana products. Allows local regulation and taxation.
65-No-Redirects money collected by grocery and certain other retail stores through mandated sale of carryout bags. Requires stores to deposit bag sale proceeds into a special fund to support specified environmental projects.
66-No-Changes procedures governing state court challenges to death sentences. Designates superior court for initial petitions and limits successive petitions. Requires appointed attorneys who take noncapital appeals to accept death penalty appeals. Exempts prison officials from the existing regulation process for developing execution methods.
67-Yes-A "Yes" vote approves, and a "No" vote rejects, a statute that prohibits grocery and other stores from providing customers single–use plastic or paper carryout bags but permits sale of recycled paper bags and reusable bags.