Is the California Electorate Changing? Bonds/Taxes Defeated

by Stephen Frank

If you read the headlines, the March 3 ballot proved that California is a Socialist State. Sen. Bernie Sanders easily won the lion share of votes for the Democratic Party presidential primary votes in California.

No one doubts that Gov. Newsom and the Sacramento Democrats prefer higher taxes. Newsom in his budget this year wants to create a single-payer healthcare system and take over the sale of drugs in the State. He wants the State, not your city council, to determine housing, zoning and building permits. Last year, he signed a bill to allow government to start and own banks—putting private banks out of business. California is a Socialist State.

Yet, on March 3, while voters continued to nominate Socialists for legislative office, the same voters made it clear they no longer trust government with their money. In a normal election, 95% or so tax increases, parcel taxes, and bonds pass. Last Tuesday was much different.

Of the 227 local tax and bond measures on ballots across California, voters:

• Rejected 122

• Approved 58

The other 57 are too close to call.

Plus, the granddaddy of them all Prop. 13 has failed. The proponents spent north of $4 million to pass the bond. The opponents, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, spent $250,000 on radio ads. The Democrat Party supported it. The California Republican Party did not take a stand on the measure. The defeat is from the guts of the people.

They found out it was not a $15 billion bond, but a $26 billion bond when you include the interest charges. While this was an “education” bond, special interests like developers used it to promote new projects. If passed, the developers would not need permission from local government to build affordable and low-cost housing within half a mile of a bus stop.

Then you have this, even if the city goes bankrupt, the voters say NO to more taxes. “Lemon Grove is in trouble: Voters decisively rejected a sales tax increase city leaders said was vital for keeping the city an independent municipality (and to keep it from dipping dangerously into reserves).”

I should note that two years ago, Lemon Grove had a similar tax increase on the ballot, and it was defeated. The city said at that time if not passed, they would go bankrupt. Looks like they lied and the citizens were not going to be fooled a second time.

Moorpark voters said NO to a school bond—the School district REFUSED to admit to the $83 million interest charges on the $96 million bond.

It looks like all of the school bonds in Placer, Orange and San Diego County were defeated.

In 2019, LAUSD had a $500 million bond that was soundly defeated.

Though Prop. 13 was defeated, the Democrats in Sacramento are planning to come back with another school bond—for less money and less obvious abuses of the public.

Why the defeat of tax increases and school bonds? I think there are two reasons.

First, after years of being lied to, the people are fed up. In 2018, we were told not to repeal the gas tax. The money was to be spent on needed road, bridge and street repairs. That is what Governor Newsom told us. He lied. Instead he redirected gas-tax money to the special interest scam, the choo-choo to nowhere. While there was not a massive outcry, the public understood what he said—the people are so stupid they will give us money for one thing, but we can spend it anyway we want.

The second reason is the families and students of California are tired of being held hostage in failed government schools. Currently, the per-student expenditure in government schools—statewide—to pay for failure, is a little over $20,000. On the other hand, the average cost of the very successful charter schools in a little over $10,000 a year. Californians pay double to give our kids failed education.

At the same time, the schools have become indoctrination centers. Sex education comes from the porn industry more than from the moral and ethical values of the family and community. It is as if government schools want kids to have sex, the earlier the better.

Then you have the unions controlling when, or if, the teachers show up to teach. The teachers unions that have been major donors to the school bonds—not to fix schools, but to move money around for more wages and benefits for teachers.

How bad did the teachers unions lose last Tuesday? Four Bay Areas school districts had bonds on the ballot. No, not for education, but to become developers and speculators. The money was to go to “teacher” housing.” The voters made it clear—first, teach our kids.

Voters gave school districts an “F.” The voters gave government in California an “F.” Maybe our voters have matured and the November results will be even better for freedom.

Stephen Frank is Senior Contributing Editor of California Political Review. Read California news that is incisive, hard-hitting, and solution-oriented with a free subscription to Steve’s daily emails at http://eepurl.com/UAspv

NOTE: Blogs published on the Judeo-Christian Caucus website are the opinions of their authors and not necessarily those of the Judeo-Christian Caucus.