Proposition 73

Should the California Constitution be amended to require parental notification 48 hours before a physician performs abortion for a minor?

Yes: Physicians legally required to notify parents of a minor’s scheduled abortion.

No: Minors would continue to receive abortion services in the same manner as adults.

At stake: This proposition would add mandatory governmental notification as well as parental notification and introduce pro-life terminology to the California Constitution. Should the government regulate abortion access? Would this proposition put pressure on vulnerable teenagers to pursue unsafe illegal abortions?

Proposition 74

Should the new teacher probationary period be increased from two years to five years, and should school districts be able to make a permanent dismissal after two unsatisfactory performance evaluations of a teacher?

Yes: This proposition increases the number of performance evaluations new teachers undergo and defines the criteria by which to dismiss teachers based on evaluations.

No: The probationary period would remain two years long. Current law does not specify what unsatisfactory performance is grounds for dismissal.

At stake: This new measure could have a large price tag, as teacher evaluations are expensive. It could, however, facilitate firing bad teachers and improve the tenure of good teachers.

Proposition 75

Should public employee unions have to acquire members’ consent each year in order to use member dues for political activity?

Yes: Public employee union members can decline to support political causes with their union dues contribution.

No: Public employee unions will continue not to need members’ express consent to use dues for political activity.

At stake: Union political activity often stands as a counterpoint to corporate lobbying. Union political representation could decrease with a loss of funding.

Proposition 76

Should Californians add state spending limits to the Constitution, and increase the unilateral power of the governor and revise education and transportation funding?

Yes: Lowers the minimum funding guarantee for K-12 schools and community colleges and gives the governor increased power to change some state expenditures unilaterally. State spending may decrease and funding may be shifted around. Transportation funding passed in Prop 42 in 2002 would be enforced.

No: State spending will remain as is with constitutional guarantees for school funding and more limited gubernatorial power.

At stake: School funding would depend more on annual decisions rather than constitutional guarantees, such as those determined by 1988’s Proposition 98. Taxes could be lowered for Californians over time, but costs could simply be shifted to local governments.

Proposition 77

Should the California Constitution be amended to move redistricting authority from the Legislature to a panel of appointed retired judges?

Yes: Judges instead of legislators will redistrict California every ten years using census data.

No: The Legislature will continue to manage redistricting.

At stake: Judges might redistrict more neutrally than legislators, but this plan could increase taxpayer costs and limit taxpayer input on the redistricting process.

Propositions 78 & 79

Should California adopt a new state drug discount program for lower-income residents, and, if so, which one?

Proposition 78

Yes: This proposition outlines voluntary prescription drug discounts for pharmaceutical companies. If passed, it negates Proposition 79.

No: If Proposition 78 does not pass, Proposition 79 could be enacted if it passes.

At stake: Will drug companies comply with voluntary regulation?

Proposition 79

Yes: More Californians would qualify for aid than with Proposition 78, and additional measures to oversee the pricing and sale of drugs by pharmaceutical companies would be added.

No: The state would not expand beyond its existing drug discount program, which covers the elderly and disabled on medicare.

At stake: Proposition 79 may enforce drug discounts and lower health-care program costs, but it requires a larger government program and could inspire litigation against drug companies.

Proposition 80

Should the state expand regulation of the electric industry?

Yes: The California Public Utilities Commission would gain increased control over electricity providers, and providers would be required to increase use of renewable energy sources.

No: Electric companies will continue to be able to sell directly to the consumer rather than having to sell through a regulated utility.

At stake: Prop 80 seeks to prevent consumer exploitation in the event of another energy crisis but would legislate very complicated energy policy.

For more information, visit www.smartvoter.org or www.easyvoter.org.

-Town Crier Staff Report