Proposition 74: Excellence in Teaching – Yes

Regardless of performance, California public school teachers are virtually guaranteed a job for life after two years on the job. Currently, teachers can fail several evaluations and yet it is still almost impossible to dismiss them.

Once a teacher has permanent status known as tenure, they have no monetary incentive to do their best. No other job or industry allows such an absurdly short amount of time for a permanent status. This proposition represents education reform. It changes tenure eligibility and rewards good teachers while weeding out problem teachers.

Proposition 75: Public Union Dues – Yes

This proposition gives union workers the right to choose whether or not dues from their paychecks can be used for political purposes. This initiative does not prohibit unions from collecting political contributions, but requires that the contributions be voluntary not mandatory. A vote of yes gives the right to spend your money the way you want to.

Proposition 76: Live Within Our Means – Yes

California doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. Our Legislature is addicted to spending taxpayers’ money. Proposition 76 will control spending to end state deficits and balance the state budget without raising taxes. At the same time, it will stabilize education funding to make sure our public schools are getting the money they need.

Proposition 77: Judicial Redistricting – No position

It is a blatant conflict of interest to have politicians draw the boundaries of the districts in which they run. This will allow independent judges to draw election districts instead of the politicians. It will then allows voters to approve or reject those districts. However, one must ask the question, “aren’t judges biased as well?” Politicians will be the ones picking the judges, and if the people don’t like the redistricting, the process starts over, costing taxpayers millions.

Proposition 78: Drugs Discounts – No

This will create a large government program to administer a new discount drug program for California residents. The program will cost tens of millions of dollars. A significant share of these costs would probably be covered by the state General Fund. California is not in a position to embark on another spending spree.

Proposition 79: Prescription Drugs – No

Proposition 79 is exactly like Proposition 78, except bigger and worse.

Proposition 80: State Regulation of Electricity – No

This would increase state regulation of the electric industry, the ban on new accounts which purchase electricity from sources other than the local utility would become permanent and certain policies of the California Public Utilities Commission would be fixed into law