Comments on: Poll shows record high discontent in California

By: Lisa Vorderbrueggen

Lisa Vorderbrueggen — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:25:32 +0000

The poll is now posted at http://www.bayareacouncil.org/takeaction_ccc.php

By: BGR

BGR — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:00:11 +0000

If the the battle to get a real reform like IRV passed in San Francisco is any indication, the professional pols and powerbrokers will fight any change tooth and nail because they like a system they can game.

Meanwhile Democrats and Republicans don’t want to share their toys, thinking they ought to have 100% of the power with only 50%+1 (dems) or 33% (gop) of the vote.

By: Lisa Vorderbrueggen

Lisa Vorderbrueggen — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:51:58 +0000

Steve,
The pollster was Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates. The Bay Area Council hasn’t yet posted the survey results online but I have put in a request for it. I’ll post the link here as soon as I get it.

By: steve frank

steve frank — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 02:05:33 +0000

This might be a good poll. But you did not report who did it.

By: papanut

papanut — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:33:50 +0000

quote:”property taxes that will be rise at a rate of the cost of living index for the area.”

This is ridiculous. Taxes should be tied to value and/or income.

By: Lou

Lou — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:00:06 +0000

Yes. There should be a Constitutional Convention. If I was King, here’s what I would do:

1) Revise Prop 13. Only a Californian’s primary house will be protected from property tax increases. That way the seniors in a fixed-income and California residents will have Prop 13 protection. Investor owned homes, vacation homes, businesses, malls etc. will be subject to property taxes that will be rise at a rate of the cost of living index for the area. Hence, property taxes near urban areas will have a different tax rate that the rural areas. California is a different state than what it was back in the 70′s. It’s time this propositon was revised to better serve the people.

2) Eliminate the 2/3 requirement to pass a budget. Make it 55%. You cannot get 2/3 of the legislature to agree unless they are about to fall off a cliff. Until then, the legislature will come up with short term solutions (like borrowing) because of the immediate need to pass a budget rather than tackle the hard decisions.

3) Change the initiative process. Make it so that 55% is needed in order for it to pass. It’s too easy to pass propositions just by giving it a nice title and have it backed by someone rich.

4) Carry out the Open Primaries, Unbiased Redestricting, Saving for a Rainy Day Fund and a State Spending Cap.

5) Get ideas from the moderates. The extreme liberals and conservatives are the noisiest ones, but are really the ones that are ruining this great state.