The June 6 election is only 17 days away. It is time to study
the issues and ponder the candidates: past time, in fact.
The June 6 election is only 17 days away. It is time to study the issues and ponder the candidates: past time, in fact.
In the old days, before the practice of absentee voting became so widespread, about five years ago, elections were easier for opinion columnists. We had up until the week before, even the day before, to rant and rail and sway the minds of the electorate over to the side of truth and justice.
This year, people could begin voting at the Registrar of Voters or by absentee ballot as early as May 8. By the time this column is printed, voters will have had 12 whole days to make up their minds without the benefit (or detriment) of my sage counsel (or folly.)
If the reader has already voted, he may skip this column, or read it in delight (or despair) at having agreed with me, or while gnashing his teeth (or humming light-heartedly) at having voted contrary to my recommendations, depending on whether the reader is a conservative (or a liberal) because this is the Far Right Voter’s Guide.
There are two statewide measures and two county measures on the ballot.
Proposition 81 would issue a $600,000,000 bond in order to construct and renovate public libraries. Ten years ago, I loved the public library. Then the Internet was installed, and soon thereafter we saw our first instances of children accessing pornography on library Internet terminals.
To our shock and horror, our trusted librarians refused to intervene, saying instead, “The child has a right to all material. Please respect the privacy of the child.”
A four-year battle ensued. We formed a grassroots group called Keep the Internet Decent and Safe for K.I.D.S. We petitioned, we picketed, we assembled, we wrote, we sang rude songs, we researched, we spoke at endless boring Joint Powers Authority, Citizens Advisory Committee, and city council meetings.
Finally, to placate us, the JPA voted to filter the children’s side of the library. But there is no rule that a child use the filtered terminals. And the librarians and the JPA were steadfast in their refusal to adopt a policy prohibiting porn-surfing in the library. … although there is a policy that prohibits the use of cell phones in the library. Go figure.
Moreover, a $600,000,000 bond measure will cost taxpayers $1.2 billion over the next 30 years. Vote no on 81.
Proposition 82 will tax the rich to fund pre-school for 4-year-olds: five days a week, a minimum of three hours a day. There is no evidence five days a week of schooling is of any benefit to your average young child, though there is evidence that severely disadvantaged children benefit from a couple of mornings a week in a high-quality nursery school.
Given the crummy job the state is doing on K-12 education, I really doubt that they can run a quality pre-school program. No on 82.
At the county level, Measure A would increase our county tax, already one of the highest in this over-taxed state, by an extra one-half cent. The money would go into the general fund, and the county supervisors would use it to help fund BART. No on A.
Measure B would transfer a small amount of the general fund to the County Park fund for acquisition, development, operation, and maintenance of Santa Clara County parks. Everybody likes parks, so it is sure to pass.
I oppose it for two reasons. Fifteen percent of the funds must be used to acquire more land. The federal, state, and county governments already own 56 percent of California. If you agree that land costs too much in this state, consider supply and demand, and vote no.
Also, it is the job of the county supervisors to decide what to spend the general fund on. When we hog-tie them as to what the general fund must be spent on, they cannot decide that this year, the hospitals need it, and next year, the sheriffs need it. No on B.
Next week, I will address candidates in detail. But just in case the reader is determined to send in his absentee ballot now, I recommend Mahurin for water district, McClintock for Lt. Governor, and Zappa for Republican Central Committee.
