Pasadena Chamber Board of Directors Recommends Positions on November Ballot Measures

The Board of Directors of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce considered the array of initiatives on the ballot on November 8th. In deciding whether or not to take a position, the Board analyzed whether a particular measure would impact the local economy, local businesses as a whole, or individual Chamber members.

The Board took these positions on the statewide and county initiatives:

Los Angeles County

Measure M: Sales tax to fund transportation in Los Angeles County. SUPPORT. Transportation and transit needs are underfunded, there is a significant local return for Pasadena and the area and the measure is required to fund the Gold Line to Claremont and other projects important to the San Gabriel Valley and Pasadena.

Measure A: Assessment to fund Los Angeles County Parks. OPPOSE. The per square footage assessment formula is too heavily weighted against business and commercial interests who will be paying significantly higher assessments than residential properties. The amounts being raised are much higher than the expiring parcel tax without adequate information about specific projects that would be funded or oversight of expenditures.

State of California

Proposition 51: School Bonds. OPPOSE. The proposition is another budgeting by ballot box measure that removes the legislature and the governor from decisions about spending and bonding. Also, the amount being raised is so small that it will not have a noticeable impact anywhere in California.

Proposition 52: Medical Hospital Fee Program. SUPPORT. Maintains hospital contribution to MediCal program which keeps MediCal functioning to serve Californians.

Proposition 53: Voter approval of state bonding to support major projects. OPPOSE. Would undermine ability of the State of California to finance large scale construction projects such as the Bay Delta water project. There is also no provision for emergency funding in the event of a disaster.

Proposition 54: legislative Transparency. SUPPORT. The proposition would force the legislature to post information on bills being considered 72 hours in advance of any vote. This would discontinue the practice of “gut-and-amend” where legislation is stripped of its text at the last minute and new text is substituted that the public has not had a chance to even learn about) Passage would promote and enhance good government efforts in Sacramento.

Proposition 55: Extension of Proposition 30 Tax. OPPOSE. Proposition 30 was enacted as an emergency measure to stabilize California state finances during the economic downturn. Promise was that, before it expired, the economy would have recovered and the legislature and governor would have worked to reform the state budget so tax would not have to continue. They did not accomplish that. Tax extension was temporary and should be allowed to expire.

Proposition 56: $2 per pack tax increase on cigarettes. SUPPORT. Cigarette smoking is a significant health risk and costs California and California employers billions of dollars each year. Tax would fund smoking aversion programs, education programs and more. Additional cost may deter some from smoking.

Proposition 61: State of California prescription drug prices tied to price paid by the Veterans Administration. OPPOSE. This is intended to stabilize prices of prescription drugs but would put pressure on non-state prescription prices and likely cause increases for those who are privately insured, insured by employers or pay their own prescription drug costs.

Proposition 65: Revenue from Disposable Bag Sales. OPPOSE. The measure would be confusing and complicated for stores that are no longer allowed to use plastic bags. This puts an undue burden on retail grocery stores while adding money to an agency that is not prepared to utilize the funds.

Proposition 67: Maintain Plastic Bag Ban. SUPPORT. A ban of this sort is best implemented on a statewide level. In banning plastic grocery bags statewide, the State of California levelled the competitive markets.

The Pasadena Chamber Board took no position on Proposition 57, proposition 58, Proposition 59, Proposition 60, Proposition 62, Proposition 63, Proposition 66 and Proposition 66.

The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce does not endorse individual candidates for office.

The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association is a professional business organization. Since the earliest days of Pasadena, the Chamber has played a major role in the development of this internationally renowned city. Since 1888, when the organization was founded as the Board of Trade, the Chamber’s primary purpose has been the enhancement of both the business climate and the quality of life in Pasadena. The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce serves more than 1400 members.