VOTER GUIDE: Propositions

SPECIAL VOTER GUIDE:

After two years of television ads, billions raised in campaign contributions and vastly different approaches to our country’s future, the indecision of American politics comes to an end as voters cast their ballots on Nov. 6.

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PROP 30 — Voting “yes” increases California sales tax a quarter cent and income taxes on individuals making over $250,000 for seven years. Voting “no” implements zero tax hikes and allows $6 billion in cuts for schools and colleges to take place.
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PROP 31 — Creates a two-year budget cycle and restricts legislators from spending more than $25 million without identified revenues or spending cuts. It permits the governor to unilaterally change the budget during fiscal emergencies and requires annual performance reviews of programs and goals for local and state budgets.
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PROP 32 — Under Prop 32 neither corporations nor unions are permitted to contribute to state and local campaigns. This includes automatic deductions from employee wages, though a number of businesses, super PACs and billionaires are exempt
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PROP 33 — Bases auto insurance rates on a driver’s prior insurance provider and allows discounts to drivers who have been consistently covered for the past five years. Allows insurance companies to increase rates on drivers who have stopped driving within those years.
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PROP 34 — Replaces the death penalty with life in prison with the possibility of parole as the maximum criminal punishment in California. Prop 34 applies to current inmates on death row, requires convicted murderers to work in prison to pay victim restitution and establishes a $100 million fund to help law enforcement solve murder and rape cases.
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PROP 35 — If passed, Prop 35 increases the punishment for convicted human traffickers and requires them to register as sex offenders. It requires all sex offenders to disclose their Internet activities and trains law enforcement to prevent human trafficking.
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PROP 36 — Changes the current “three strikes” law to only give a life sentence to offenders who commit serious or violent crimes. Prop 36 also re-sentences current inmates serving life but excludes felons convicted of certain non-serious sex, drug, firearm and other crimes.
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PROP 37 — Requires raw and processed food made from plants or animals with altered genetic material to be labeled. Prop 37 also exempts food containing small amounts of genetically engineered material, food at restaurants, alcholic beverages and other items.
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PROP 38 — Increases taxes on Californians for 12 years to raise $10 billion annually for schools and early childhood development programs.
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PROP 39 — Eliminates a loophole that permits out-of-state businesses to reduce their tax rate and instead forces them to pay income tax based on a percentage of sales in California. Prop 39 also gives $550 million to construction, green energy, and public schools over five years.
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PROP 40 — Upholds new state senate districts drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission that the California Supreme Court required to be in place for the 2012 election. Voting “no” forces district lines to be redrawn under supervision of the Supreme Court.
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