League of Women Voters of North & Central San Mateo County, California

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1 The Voter League of Women Voters of North & Central San Mateo County, California The League of Women Voters is where hands-on work to safeguard democracy leads to civic improvement. September 2016 General Meeting Vote with the League on November 8! Tuesday, September 20, pm Silicon Valley Community Foundation 1300 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo, CA Join us as we begin our year, welcome our members back, and prepare ourselves for a busy election season. Educating our members is a priority as we gear up for the election season and Voter Service events. Family and friends often call upon League members to explain these complex issues. Helen Hutchison, President of the League of Women Voters of California, will be our speaker to discuss the LWVC recommendations on the November 2016 General Election. This ballot contains 17 Propositions, covering issues from school bonds to plastic bag bans. The LWVC has taken a position on 11 of the propositions and is neutral on another. The League is not taking a position on five propositions because League positions do not cover these issues. This issue includes a copy of the LWVC Recommendations for the November 9, 2016 General Election. League meetings are always open to the public. Please contact Susie Raye, Program Director for more information: mailto:program@lwvncsmc.org. Directions to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation Going South on Highway 101: Take the 3rd Avenue exit. Go west on 3rd Avenue about one mile. Turn left on El Camino. Going North on Highway 101: Take the 3rd Avenue exit. Go west on 3rd Avenue about one mile. Turn left on El Camino. Inside: President s Message, p. 2 Board Highlights, p. 2 Membership Growth and Retention You CAN Help, p. 3 Voter Services Training and California Ballot Measures, p. 3 Voter s Edge, p. 4 PMP, p. 5 Volunteers Needed!, p. 5 Voting Rights Advancement Act, p. 6 Owls in San Mateo County, p. 6 Our Heartfelt Thank You to Ms. Renee Kaseff, p. 7 Voter Delivery Preference, p. 8 Membership Dues are Due, p. 8 Peninsula Clean Energy is Starting Up!, p. 8 September Calendar, p. 10 The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Kathleen Tyson, President Marie Baldisseri, Membership Chair Ann Kuchins, Editor Office: 444 Peninsula Avenue, Suite 1, San Mateo CA Phone: LWVNCSMC@sbcglobal.net Web site:

2 President s Message Welcome back to another exciting League year! With summer now behind us, League is gearing up in earnest for the November election. As you would expect, most of our energy and attention will be focused on the November election during the next two months but remember the saying, All politics is local. There are many opportunities for you to help out on the local level. Gayle Hardt, our Voter Service chair, will need help staffing candidate forums. Though the presidential election grabs most of the high profile attention, we have a plethora of cities and special districts holding elections as well. Our League will be asked to moderate candidate forums for many of these races. We will need teams of moderators, timekeepers, and ushers to handle these forums. Being a timekeeper or an usher is a very easy, low-key way to get more involved in League. We are always looking for more help. If this is something you are interested in, please contact Gayle. She d love to have you on our team. See her article for more information. We are also looking for more people to help present the pros and cons of the state ballot measures. The League phone has been ringing off the hook since June with requests from various community groups for these presentations. Not surprisingly, voters want the unbiased and factual information League can provide. They want to understand what they are voting on. Please consider helping to present the pros and cons. Ideally we d love to be able to send out teams of two people. Gayle has a training scheduled and we will thoroughly prepare you to be a League speaker. This is a great opportunity for you to become more involved in League. I urge you to attend one of the training sessions. Besides the state wide ballot measures, there are also numerous local ballot measures including a countywide sales tax measure and numerous school district and municipal measures. Detailed information on these measures will be in next month s Voter and can be accessed on Voter s Edge California ( in September. We do so appreciate our members and all you do to support League. For over 96 years, the League of Women Voters has been striving to educate and inform voters. Please consider taking an active role in this very important mission of League. Volunteer today! Kathee Tyson, President 2 Board Highlights At the board meeting on August 1, our board Heard that we have filed for 501(c)(3) status Learned about a challenge grant from Renee Kaseff which covers membership fees for first time voters to join the League Heard that we have many requests for pros & cons presentations scheduled for this fall and will need many volunteers to deliver the information Heard the Gayle Hardt will hold training for the pros & cons as well as candidate forums on September 7 th and 10 th Decided not to support the extension of Measure A until we have more information about the planned use of the tax money Is waiting to read the final wording of the rent stabilization and just cause eviction ballot measures in Burlingame and San Mateo before deciding whether or not to support the measures

3 3 Heard that our League will be counting the ballots for the Woodlake HOA election and needs volunteers to work that evening Jean Johnson, Secretary Membership Growth and Retention You CAN Help I m honored and excited to have been elected to serve as our League s Membership Chair. As Chair, my goal is to develop overall plans for membership growth and participation and to cultivate opportunities which will involve more members in specific activities. But, I cannot do it alone. To quote a past LWVUS president, we can grow (membership), if we are willing to make membership the same high priority that we give the causes we pursue as part of our action campaigns. Until we seek new members, of both sexes, all races and all ages, with the same vigor and enthusiasm that we bring to our program, until we are willing to make the same sacrifices, until we are willing to spend the same kind of money, adopt the same innovative ideas, it (membership growth) won t happen. Members are the League; they are the League s lifeblood. Members give the League clout and visibility. They are the source of its leadership. A growing, thriving membership means we can succeed in accomplishing the goals we share at all levels of League. No matter how dynamic a local League may be, membership growth doesn t just happen. It requires good planning, year-round attention, and a strong partnership among all levels of the League and among all board members. And since it s usually at the local level where new members get their experience of what it means to belong to the League, the local League has an essential role in making that experience satisfying and enjoyable. Membership is a big job, an important responsibility, and it needs a team to do it successfully. I want to form a Membership Committee and am hoping you will want to join me. If being a member of the membership Committee sounds like something you d like to do, please give me a call at or send me an at mbaldisseri@att.net. I promise a rewarding, enjoyable experience. Marie Baldisseri, Membership Chair Voter Services Training and California Ballot Measures This election season will be very busy for our League. There are 17 ballot measures on the November 2016 ballot. We already have eight requests for Pros and Cons presentations and two voter registration drives. We will expect numerous requests for candidate forums as well. Voter Services will have two training sessions for volunteers to choose from: Wednesday, September 7 beginning at 6:00 pm Saturday, September 10 beginning at 1:00 pm We will review the duties of the candidates forum moderator, time keeper, and usher plus information on the ballot measures. Please let Gayle Hardt know if you will attend one of these trainings. The 17 Ballot Measures are summarized as follows. For information on League recommendations, see the LWVC flyer included in this issue. Proposition 51, California Public Education Facilities Bond Initiative provides funding for K-12 School and Community College Facilities. Proposition 52, California Medi-Cal Hospital Reimbursement Initiative ensures that Medi-Cal fees would be directed to children's health services, Medi-Cal health care services, and uninsured patient care. Proposition 53, California Public Vote on Bond requires voter approval before the state can issue more than $2 billion in public infrastructure bonds that would require an increase in taxes or fees for repayment.

4 Proposition 54, California Legislature Transparency Act requires that every bill is published in print and online at least 72 hours prior to the legislative vote; that the legislature make audiovisual recordings of its proceedings and publishes the recordings online; and allows any individual to record any open legislative proceedings either through audio or visual means and use these recordings without paying for such use. Proposition 55, California Tax Extension to Fund Education and Healthcare extends the temporary personal income tax increases approved in 2012 on incomes over $250,000 for 12 years to be used for education and healthcare funding. Proposition 56, California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tobacco Tax Amendment increases cigarette tax by $2.00 per pack, with equivalent increase on other tobacco products and electronic cigarettes containing nicotine. Proposition 57, California Parole and Juvenile Trial Opportunity Modification increases parole chances for felons convicted of nonviolent crimes and gives them more opportunities to earn credits for good behavior. It also allows judges, not prosecutors, to decide whether to try certain juveniles as adults in court. Proposition 58, California Multilingual Education Act repeals most of the 1998 Proposition 227, the "English in public schools" initiative, allowing non-english languages to be used in public educational instruction. Proposition 59, California Overturn of Citizens United Act Advisory Question asks Shall California s elected officials use all of their constitutional authority, including proposing and ratifying one or more amendments to the United States Constitution, to overturn Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) 558 U.S. 310 and other applicable judicial precedents to allow the full regulation or limitation of campaign contributions and spending? Proposition 60, Condoms in Pornographic Films requires performers in adult films to use condoms during filming of sexual intercourse. Proposition 61, California Drug Price Relief Act regulates drug prices by requiring state agencies to pay the same prices as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) pays for prescription drugs. Proposition 62, California Death Penalty Repeal repeals the death penalty as maximum punishment for persons found guilty of murder and replaces it with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Proposition 63, California Safety for All Gun Control prohibits the possession of large capacity ammunition magazines and requires most individuals to pass a background check and obtain authorization from the Department of Justice to purchase ammunition. Proposition 64, California Marijuana Legalization legalizes marijuana and hemp under state law and enacts certain sales and cultivation taxes. Proposition 65, California Carry-Out Bag Revenue redirects money collected from the sale of carry-out bags by grocery or other retail stores to a special fund administered by the Wildlife Conservation Board. Proposition 66, California Death Penalty Procedure Regulation changes procedures governing state court appeals and petitions challenging death penalty convictions and sentences and makes other voterapproved measures related to the death penalty null and void if this measure receives more affirmative votes. Proposition 67, California Plastic Bag Ban Referendum upholds or ratifies the contested legislation banning plastic bags that was enacted by the California State Legislature under the name Senate Bill 270. Gayle Hardt, Voter Services Director Voter s Edge Voter s Edge California (VEC) is the new, modern version of SmartVoter. Voter s Edge California (VEC) is a joint project of the LWVC Education Fund and Maplight. It is designed to be a comprehensive, unbiased online guide to elections covering federal, state, and local races. On VEC, you can obtain your personalized ballot by entering in your address. There you will find in-depth information about candidates, measures, and who supports them. Just as you were able to do on SmartVoter, you can access candidate 4

5 information such as biography, top priorities, and endorsements. One thing you can do on VEC that Smart Voter was unable to do is give you detailed information about who funds a candidate s campaign. Information about ballot measures is also available including who supports, opposes, and funds them. As some of you know, the Leagues of San Mateo County and Santa Clara County participated in the initial rollout of SmartVoter back in Since then, we have consistently posted online unbiased information about candidates and ballot measures in every election. Over the years, SmartVoter earned a solid reputation for its complete coverage of elections, including information on smaller races such as local school districts and special districts. In 2014, SmartVoter joined forces with MapLight to bring even more information to voters. MapLight is a nonpartisan organization that reveals money s influence on politics. Together this partnership will provide voters with both comprehensive election coverage and campaign finance information. It gives voters instant access to political information of unparalleled depth and transparency. Just as we have done for over 20 years now, VEC will be contacting all candidates on the ballot in November asking them to post a page on VEC. Since most of our candidates are familiar with the League and its work, our county has a very high participation rate among candidates. It s something I work very hard to achieve. Our goal is to give the voters of San Mateo County the most information possible about candidates and ballot measures so they can make an informed decision. Candidate and local ballot measure information should be up on the Voter s Edge site soon after Labor Day. Check it out at: Kathee Tyson PMP What is PMP? The acronym PMP stands for Per Member Payment which is the amount paid to the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS), to the League of Women Voters of California (LWVC), and to the League of Women Voters of the Bay Area (LWVBA). The amount paid is based on the PMP approved at each League s convention times the number of members in our League as of January 31 of the previous fiscal year. What all this means is that from the $65.00 dues each primary member pays into our League we pay $32.00 to LWVUS, $28.00 to LWVC, and $1.00 to LWVBA. That adds up to $ The net result is that from your $65.00 dues only $4.00 goes to finance our League. This means that from our current 102 primary members and 19 additional and student member s we, net $ income. We need much more than that to fund all our expenses. That is why income from the contract with San Mateo County, Community Services, and most importantly contributions are essential to survival of our League. Don Jacobberger, Treasurer Volunteers Needed! 5 Woodlake Association Election The League has been asked to serve as Inspector of Elections again this year for the Woodlake Association board of directors election. The association s annual meeting is scheduled for September 21 and League members will open and count ballots that evening. We need at least six volunteers for this project. We always work in teams of three to ensure accuracy in counting the votes. Nine volunteers would allow the process to go more quickly. No training is necessary as we will go over the procedures before we start the formal process. Several League members have willingly given their time in the past at Woodlake and at Shelter Creek but we would like to expand the pool of volunteers. This is one of those once and done projects that requires no special expertise, just a willingness to follow instructions.

6 These projects provide funds that help the League continue its service to the community and reduce the need to organize other fundraising efforts. To volunteer, or if you have questions, contact me by phone or (650) or Jackie Jacobberger 6 Voting Rights Advancement Act The League celebrated the 51st Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) and the recent court victories challenging the voter suppression laws passed in some states after the Shelby County v. Holder decision made by the Supreme Court. Without this decision these laws would never have been implemented. The Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) is one possible solution to the voter suppression problem. It was introduced to address voter discrimination and modernize and repair the VRA. It is languishing on both sides of Congress. The League wants Congress to act on this important legislation and ensure that all Americans have equal access to the polls and can vote in the November election. The three major goals of the VRAA are: 1. Re-establishment of preclearance coverage for states and localities with a history and pattern of discrimination in voting that relies on up-to-date information 2. Provides preclearance nationwide for political subdivisions with substantial minority populations for a limited number of voting changes that historically have found to be discriminatory, such as changes in methods of election and cuts in polling locations 3. Provides for greater transparency and public notice for late-breaking voting changes just before an election, changes in polling resources, and demographic and electoral data The LWVUS website contains more information on this topic. If you would like to query your representatives on their positions, cite Voting Rights Advancement Act, H.R and S Diana Stephens, Action Director Owls in San Mateo County On August 4, I represented League at the unveiling of two OWLs at Coyote Point Recreation Area in San Mateo as part of a project called Look Ahead, San Mateo raising public awareness about sea level rise. Some of the partners in this project include the County of San Mateo, FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency), and Climate Access. As San Mateo will be the county most affected economically by sea level rise in the state, this is an important issue for us. Climate change/sea level rise is one of our League s issues for emphasis this year. The idea behind them is to make climate change more than just an abstract theory of what will happen in the future. These OWLs enable you to see the shoreline as it is now and as it will appear in just a few decades. Cara Pike from Climate Access describes the issue as a not me, not here, not now challenge. Supervisor Dave Pine said, The water will rise. There is no question about that. He noted that over $24 billion in assets are at risk in our county. An OWL is a modern, interactive, 3D version of the old ViewMasters we used back in the 1960s. Perhaps those of you of a certain age (like me) will remember clicking the view finder and cycling through discs of such sights as the Grand Canyon and Disneyland. They are called OWLs because they resemble an owl s face. These new OWLs enable the public to take a panoramic tour of the Coyote Point area showing not only what it looks like now but what it will look like in the future. As one young man

7 said to me, This is so cool. It s kind of like playing Pokemon Go. It s virtual reality. It is amazing to be standing on the pathway at Coyote Point looking through the OWL and seeing it as it is now then seeing it inundated by about 3 feet of water; unsettling as well, especially when turning the OWL towards SFO and the hotels ringing the bayside in Burlingame! The OWLs will be in place at Coyote Point Recreation Area until December. They are well worth a visit! Kathee Tyson View from the OWL: Before and After Sea Level Rise Photo Credit: San Mateo County Sea Change SMC Our Heartfelt Thank You to Ms. Renee Kaseff The League of Women Voters of North and Central San Mateo County would like to thank Ms. Renee Kaseff for her generous donation to our League. Renee s donation seeks to halt our League s shrinking membership and to attract and recruit younger members. The Renee Kaseff Fund will be established and it will have three distinct goals: 1. Register first-time voters such as high school seniors and young college students 2. Recruit first-time voters (youth) into the League 3. Defray the cost of dues for the first year of League membership for the above first-time voters Renee suggests our members engage with government/elected officials and political science teachers at both the high school and community college levels about the critical importance of educating students on the significance of local elections, as well as to stress the importance of an informed vote and advocating on issues. Renee also urges us to use her gift to invite first-time voters to candidates forums, as well as to Pros and Cons discussions on ballot measures. Please join the Board in extending our League s sincere appreciation and gratitude to Renee for her thoughtful and important gift. Marie Baldisseri 7

8 Voter Delivery Preference Thanks to those who returned the member survey enclosed with your annual meeting/membership renewal mailing in May. We appreciate knowing how you prefer to receive your newsletter, the Voter. If you have not let us know about your preference, you will continue to receive the hard copy. If you prefer to receive it electronically, send an to the League office We are sending reminders of meetings and other events to all members who have shared their addresses with us. Some of you have unsubscribed from the Constant Contact newsletters and reminders so be sure to keep your printed Voter handy so you will have a reminder of our events and other news. Jackie Jacobberger Membership Dues are Due Have you forgotten to renew your membership? Is the renewal form lost in your to do pile? Did you use it as a bookmark, and now it s lost? Perhaps, the dog ate it? If you haven t renewed your membership, please do it as soon as possible. Your membership is important to us. Without you, the valuable work of the League cannot be accomplished. Thank you in advance. Marie Baldisseri is Starting Up! Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) is our new electric energy program in San Mateo County. The first phase of enrollment is now open, effective October PCE offers users two options: ECOplus is the default for all users and provides 50% renewable energy and 75% carbon-free, with a cost approximately 5% less than PG&E. The ECO100 option provides 100% renewable energy and is 100% carbon-free at a slightly higher cost. All users have the option to Opt-Up to ECO100. Enrollment is now open for the launch in October You may have received a letter in the mail from PCE indicating you are included in the first phase. Phase 1 includes small to medium size businesses and a portion of residential. Phase2 in April 2017 will include more residential, as well as large businesses and agriculture. Phase 3 will include all remaining residential customers. The following graph provides a comparison with PG&E: 8

9 Do you have solar panels on your home? PCE will enroll solar users on a different schedule, one that will work with your PG&E account to maximize any NEM credits you have earned. PCE will also automatically enroll you in the Peninsula Clean Energy Net Energy Metering program. For more information on Solar and Net Energy Metering (NEM) please see PCE is an Opt-out program, meaning that all users are enrolled automatically. However, users can always opt-out and return to PG&E. The website and call center are available to help users. PCE is looking for volunteers to help spread the word about the October 2016 launch. Please Kirsten Pringle at KPringle@smcgov.org or fill out the form on the website ( Susie Raye, Program Manager 9

10 THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS RECOMMENDS November 8, 2016 GENERAL ELECTION More info: bit.ly/lwvcballotrecs PROP 51 School Bonds: K-12 and Community College YES All California s schoolchildren deserve school facilities in good repair and equipped to provide all students a 21st century education. In a perfect world with adequate funding, we wouldn t need to borrow to build. However, this is not a perfect world, and our facilities needs are massive and require a large infusion of funding. It has been eight years since the last statewide bond measure was passed. Chronic underfunding from the state leaves most public school communities unable to adequately address their needs, increasing the danger of greater disparities among them. Many have passed local bonds but due to insufficient state matching funds, that money remains unspent a situation this bond measure will help remedy. PROP 54 California Legislature Transparency Act YES Prop 54 will make our state government more open, honest, and accountable. With this common-sense reform, every bill must be in print and posted online for at least 72 hours before it may pass out of either house preventing lastminute, closed-door changes. A video recording of every public meeting of the Legislature must be posted online in a timely way. Our democracy is stronger when more people participate, and this measure empowers all people to review, debate, and contribute to the laws that impact us all. PROP 55 Children s Education and Health Care Protection Act YES Proposition 55 is key in maintaining economic recovery and growth in California by continuing the current income tax rates on the wealthiest two percent of Californians, established by the voters in That measure, Prop 30, has moved California toward financial stability and adequate funding for education and other services we depend on like health care. Without Prop 55 we will be back to the days of pink slips for teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and community college students waiting years for the classes they need. PROP 57 Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act YES This measure restores the authority of judges, not prosecutors, to decide if juveniles as young as 14 should be tried in adult court, a right judges had until The prosecution may file a motion, but the court decides. Proposition 57 will also reduce the state prison population and costs by allowing earlier parole of nonviolent felons, with sentence credits for good behavior and rehabilitation or education. This measure could save tens of millions of dollars. PROP 58 English Proficiency. Multilingual Education YES Proposition 58 repeals the most restrictive parts of Proposition 227, a 1998 initiative that limited the methods California schools can use to teach English to students who are not native English speakers. This measure addresses the inequity of Prop 227 and frees parents and their schools to provide the best educational opportunities for all California children regardless of their first language. The League opposed Prop 227 nearly 20 years ago and urges your support for this change. PROP 59 Constitutional Amendment Advisory Measure NO Eliminating the corrupting influence of money in our democracy is a vital concern. Unfortunately, this vague, poorly drafted ballot measure is not the solution. A constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United may have appeal as a quick fix, but in reality it is a slow, laborious, costly, and potentially unsuccessful strategy. A poorly written amendment could have significant unintended consequences not the least of which is squelching actual political speech. Voters deserve a fair election system today, not years or decades from now. Instead of looking to an imagined silver bullet, we need to take broad action now, including fixing our Federal Elections Commission, expanding disclosure laws, overturning California s ban on public financing of elections, and asking a new Supreme Court to revisit the ruling. VOTE WITH THE LEAGUE ON NOVEMBER 8! LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA th Street, Suite 300 Sacramento, CA / Fax/ VOTE Toll-free lwvc@lwvc.org 8/8/2016

11 PROP 62 Justice That Works: Death Penalty Abolition YES Proposition 62 will abolish the death penalty, replacing it with life without possibility of parole. It will ensure time in prison is spent in work, with an increased portion of wages going to restitution to victims families. Families deserve restitution, not endless legal appeals, and closure through knowing these worst criminals will never be released. California has spent more than $5 billion to execute 13 people since Nothing indicates this has been effective in reducing crime, while the risk of executing the innocent remains. PROP 66 Shortening Death Penalty Appeals NO This poorly written measure would greatly increase California s risk of executing an innocent person by shortening the time for appeals and limiting the prisoner s ability to present new evidence of their innocence. Raising significant constitutional issues, this could cause more delays, increase taxpayers costs, and add layers of bureaucracy. It is estimated the state would need as many as 400 new taxpayer-funded attorneys to meet the demand. The wise choice is NO on 66 and YES on 62 to save costs, provide restitution, and prevent executing innocent people. PROP 63 Safety for All Act YES The facts are sobering. From 2002 to 2013, 38,576 Californians died from gun violence, including 2,258 children. In the U.S., more than 300 Americans are shot each day, more than 80 of them fatally. Prop 63 helps counter those statistics by strengthening background check systems and ensuring that California law enforcement shares data about dangerous people with the FBI. It ensures that dangerous criminals and domestic abusers sell or transfer their firearms after they re convicted. This measure requires businesses that sell ammunition to report lost or stolen ammunition, requires people to notify law enforcement if their guns are lost or stolen, and ensures that people convicted of gun theft are ineligible to own guns. PROP 65 Sowing Confusion about the Plastic Bag Ban NO Don t be confused by this deceptive measure vote NO. Large players in the plastic bag industry spent millions to put this disingenuous initiative on the ballot, creating a distraction that could thwart California s efforts to rein in plastic bag waste and litter. The plastic bag industry wants to use this measure to damage the hard-won agreement between environmentalists and grocers that made the plastic bag ban possible. This is not about helping fund environmental programs but is simply intended to cause enough voter confusion that the more significant environmental measure, Proposition 67, fails. Don t be confused; Vote NO on 65 and Vote YES on 67. PROP 67 Protect California s Plastic Bag Ban YES The League urges a YES vote on Proposition 67 to retain California s plastic bag ban. The question on a referendum is not intuitive; you are being asked if you want to retain the new law. Vote YES to keep the 2014 statewide law prohibiting single-use carryout bags. These plastic film bags pollute our oceans, pose a deadly threat to marine wildlife, clutter our landscapes, create toxic byproducts when manufactured, and are very difficult to recycle. California grocers and other retailers support the ban, and many cities and counties have local measures that are working. Don t let out-of-state plastic bag industry players stop our progress! NO RECOMMENDATION ON THE OTHER MEASURES ON THIS BALLOT PROP 56 Cigarette Tax NEUTRAL Proposition 56 establishes an increased tax on cigarettes, with the money collected from this tax earmarked for health care and tobacco use prevention. The League does not generally support earmarks but is neutral on this measure because of the benefits from reducing smoking and the increased funding for health care. Because League positions do not cover the issues in the following measures, the LWVC is taking no stand on Prop 52 (State Fees on Hospitals. Federal Medi-Cal Matching Funds), Prop 53 (Revenue Bonds. Statewide Voter Approval), Prop 60 (Adult Films. Condoms. Health Requirements), Prop 61 (State Prescription Drug Purchases. Pricing Standards), and Prop 64 (Marijuana Legalization). VOTE WITH THE LEAGUE ON NOVEMBER 8! LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA th Street, Suite 300 Sacramento, CA / Fax/ VOTE Toll-free lwvc@lwvc.org

12 Proposition 48 September Calendar Date Time Description Place Wednesday September 9 6:00 p.m. Voter Service Workshop 444 Peninsula Avenue, Suite 1 San Mateo CA Saturday September 10 1:00 p.m. Voter Service Workshop 444 Peninsula Avenue, Suite 1 San Mateo CA Monday September 12 7:00 p.m. Board Meeting All members are welcome to attend. 444 Peninsula Avenue, Suite 1 San Mateo CA JOIN THE LEAGUE Where new members just like you are taking advantage of leadership opportunities and making an impact. Referendum Name(s) Address City Zip Code Phone Number (daytime) address Amount enclosed $ ($65 one member; $100 two members, same household; $35 each additional member, same household. Dues are not tax deductible.) Mail to: LWVNC&SMC 444 Peninsula Avenue, Suite 1, San Mateo, CA 94401