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Voters Deliver a Mixed Bag in Decisions on State’s Propositions

Published

4 years ago

November 5, 2020

Post Staff

Courtesy The Guardian

So far, they decline employee status for gig workers, stricter parole rules and restoring Affirmative Action.

Much was at stake for Californians in this year’s statewide initiatives – strengthening rent control, ending cash bail, providing labor rights for gig workers, ending the state’s ban on diversity and making billionaires pay increased property taxes

That’s why businesses spent so much to try to make sure the results would be favorable to their bottom line. At the top of this year’s spending is Proposition 22 on Tuesday’s ballot, funded by Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and others, a measure designed to override a new state law that requires these companies’ ride-hailing and delivery drivers to be classified as employees rather than independent contractors.

In this race, spending on both sides reached new heights – a record total of $202 million.

While 2020’s results are not yet final, as of Wednesday afternoon, 72% of the estimated vote total (11.8 million votes) has been tallied, and results in many of the races are clear. Late-arriving mail ballots and provisional ballots will be counted in the days and weeks after the election.

Here is where the measures stand:

· Proposition 14 – Medical research bonds. Passing with 51.1% “yes” votes.

· Proposition 15 – Change Commercial Property Tax. Failing with 51.7 “no” votes. The proposition would tax properties based on current market value rather than purchase price and increases property taxes on commercial properties for funding to local governments and schools.

Though the measure is trailing, it could receive a boost from about 1 million uncounted ballots in heavily Democratic Los Angeles.

· Proposition 16 – End diversity ban. Failing with 56% “no” votes. The proposition would repeal a constitutional provision that made it unlawful for California’s state and local governments to discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to people based on race, ethnicity, national origin or sex.

· Proposition 17 – Restore former felon vote. Passing with 59.1% “yes” votes.

· Proposition 18 – Lower voting age to 17 for primary races. Failing with 55.1% “no” votes

· Proposition 19 – Change Property Tax Rules. Passing with 51.5% “yes” votes

· Proposition 20 – Stricter Parole, Sentencing. Failing with 62.4% “no” votes.

· Proposition 21 – Local Government Rent Control. Failing with 59.7% “no” votes. The proposition would allow local governments to establish rent control on residential properties over 15 years old.

· Proposition 22 – App-Based Drivers as Contractors, Not Employees. Passing with 58.4% “yes” votes.

· Proposition 23 – Dialysis Clinic Standards. Failing with 64% “no” votes.

· Proposition 24 – Expand Consumer Privacy, passing with 56.1% of the vote.

· Proposition 25 – Approve Replacing Cash Bail. Failing with 55.4% “no” votes.

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Alameda County

Lee Releases Strong Statement on Integrity and Ethics in Government

In a statement released recently, Lee said she fully supports current efforts by the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, ACLU and Oakland Ethics Commissioners to look at how to strengthen accountability and trust in government. She said she supports a review of the city charter to clarify lines of accountability between the city administrator and elected mayor, so the City of Oakland uses every tax dollar wisely to deliver essential services in the most efficient ways.

Published

12 hours ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Barbara Lee. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

The people of Oakland expect and deserve a transparent, accountable government that serves the people, not special interests, according to Oakland mayoral candidate Barbara Lee, who pledges to bring the same “energy, ideas, and dedication” to ethics in City Hall that she had in Congress.

“There should be no tolerance whatsoever for secret pay-to-play schemes that erode the public trust. Oaklanders expect and deserve leaders who have only one agenda—honest, accountable leadership that serves the people of Oakland,” she said.

In a statement released recently, Lee said she fully supports current efforts by the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, ACLU, and Oakland Ethics Commissioners to look at how to strengthen accountability and trust in government.

She said she supports a review of the city charter to clarify lines of accountability between the city administrator and elected mayor, so the City of Oakland uses every tax dollar wisely to deliver essential services in the most efficient ways.

In addition, Lee said, the current prohibition on gifts to elected officials is too loosely worded and should be strengthened to ensure no one is prone to influence. There is also no user-friendly portal where any member of the public can view contract scopes and amounts, which should be available online for public review.

She also supports the city pursuing available legal remedies to secure financial relief or judgments against persons or entities convicted of defrauding the City or using illegal means to profit on the backs of Oakland taxpayers.

Though Oakland’s governmental structure is complex, leadership is what matters, she said. The city needs reforms to ensure accountability and transparency and needs leadership.

Lee said she is proud of her strong track record on ethics and integrity.

As a congresswoman, she was a leader in one of the most sweeping political ethics reforms, which banned gifts from lobbyists and prohibited House members from traveling on private planes, among other vital reforms. That reform law ended pay-to-play schemes that had run rampant in Washington, D.C.

Congresswoman Lee also played a key role in the comprehensive ethics reform package in 2007, which required lawmakers to disclose how much campaign cash lobbyists raise on their behalf and what earmarks they have requested.

Starting from her very first day in Congress, she supported campaign finance reform to get big money out of politics, including limiting the size of campaign donations.

She spearheaded efforts to overturn the Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgate to unlimited spending by billionaires to buy elections.

She supported public campaign financing to combat the influence of big money in politics, including the Government By the People Act.

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Activism

Griot Theater Company Presents August Wilson’s Work at Annual Oratorical Featuring Black Authors

The performance explores the legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson whose 10-play Century Cycle chronicles the African American experience across the 20th century, with each play set in a different decade. “Half a Century” journeys through the final five plays of this monumental cycle, bringing Wilson’s richly woven stories to life in a way that celebrates history, resilience, and the human spirit.

Published

16 hours ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Late playwright August Wilson. Wikipedia photo.

By Godfrey Lee

Griot Theater Company will present their Fifth Annual Oratorical with August Wilson’s “Half a Century,” at the Belrose on 1415 Fifth Ave., in San Rafael near the San Rafael Public Library.

The performance explores the legacy of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson whose 10-play Century Cycle chronicles the African American experience across the 20^th century, with each play set in a different decade. “Half a Century” journeys through the final five plays of this monumental cycle, bringing Wilson’s richly woven stories to life in a way that celebrates history, resilience, and the human spirit.

Previous performance highlighting essential Black American authors included Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, and Lorraine Hansberry with Langston Hughes.

The play will be performed at 3:00. p.m. on Feb. 20, 21, 22, 27, and 28 at 7:00 p.m., and on Feb. 23 at 3:00 p.m.

For more information, go to griottheatercompany.squarespace.com/productions-v2

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Activism

Two New California Bills Are Aiming to Lower Your Prescription Drug Costs

“When basic life necessities like medication become unaffordable in Blue States, working people pay the price. As Democrats, we should be leading on making people’s lives better and more affordable,” continued Weiner. It is past time California caught up with other states and put basic protections in place to contain the astronomical cost of basic medications.”

Published

16 hours ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Edward Henderson, California Black Media

Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) has introduced two bills in the State Senate that could lower prescription drug prices for California residents.

Senate Bill (SB) 40, or the Insulin Affordability Act — and accompanying legislation, SB 41, or Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Reform — comprise Wiener’s Prescription Drug Affordability (PDA) Package.

Together, the bills would cap monthly co-pays for insulin at $35 (SB 40) and create regulations for pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) whose negotiation practices, critics say, have resulted in steep price increases for prescription drugs (SB 41).

“It makes no sense that people with diabetes in states like West Virginia can access affordable insulin while Californians are stuck with higher prices,” said Wiener in a statement.

SB 40’s proposed $35 monthly co-pay was written, in part, in response to the price of insulin tripling over the past decade, Wiener’s office says. As a result of the increase, one in four people using insulin has reported insulin underuse because they can’t afford the full dose.

About 4,037,000 adult Californians have diabetes, with an additional 263,000 cases of Type 1 diabetes diagnosed each year. This rate in new cases disproportionately affects the elderly, men, and low-income patients, Wiener’s office reports.

According to Wiener, SB 41 is his follow-up to similar legislation he introduced last year, SB 966, which was vetoed by Gov. Newsom.

Middlemen in the pharmaceutical industry, PBMs buy prescription drugs from manufacturers and then sell them to pharmacies and health plans. Their position as intermediaries allows them to charge high administrative fees and significantly higher prices for drugs to pharmacies than they paid originally. This practice results in higher costs for patients seeking the prescriptions they need.

“On behalf of the Californians we serve who live with chronic and rare diseases, we are grateful to Sen. Wiener for his commitment and attempt to hold pharmacy middlemen accountable for their anti-patient and anti-pharmacy practices,” stated Liz Helms, California Chronic Care Coalition President & CEO. “Health care costs continue to rise when patients cannot afford medically necessary medications.”

SB 41 proposes that all PBMs be licensed and that they disclose basic information regarding their business practices to the licensing entity. It also calls for a number of other requirements and prohibitions, including limiting how fees may be charged and requiring transparency related to all fees assessed.

“This bill addresses some of the worst abuses by pharmacy benefit managers: lack of transparency, unfair business practices, steering, and price gouging,” said Jamie Court, President of Consumer Watchdog.

In 2022, drug spending in California grew by 12%, while total health premiums rose by just 4%. Last year, more than half of Californians either skipped or postponed mental and physical healthcare due to cost, putting their safety and well-being at risk. One in three reported holding medical debt, including half of low-income Californians.

So far, there is no organized opposition to the Prescription Drug Affordability package.