Election Section

The Planet's November 6 Ballot Recommendations

By the Berkeley Daily Planet Editorial Board
Thursday October 25, 2012 - 11:22:00 AM

Below you'll find a list of the Planet's endorsements for the November 6 election. 

State Propositions:

30 Temporary Taxes to Fund Education. Guaranteed Local Public Safety Funding. Initiative Constitutional Amendment. YES. Jerry Brown’s Last Chance: badly needed and the best choice if you only vote for one.

31 State Budget. State and Local Government. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute. NO. Would cripple government at all levels

32 Political Contributions by Payroll Deduction. Contributions to Candidates. Initiative Statute. NO. An anti-union move

33 Auto Insurance Companies. Prices Based on Driver’s History of Insurance Coverage. Initiative Statute. NO. Benefits companies, hurts drivers.

34 Death Penalty. Initiative Statute.YES, YES, YES. Saves money, saves lives, avoids errors which can’t be reversed.

35 Human Trafficking. Penalties. Initiative Statute. No position—evidence is unclear.

36 Three Strikes Law. Repeat Felony Offenders. Penalties. Initiative Statute. YES, YES, YES on financial grounds alone, plus humanitarian considerations.

37 Genetically Engineered Foods. Labeling. Initiative Statute. YES. “Send the chemical companies a message”.

38 Tax to Fund Education and Early Childhood Programs. Initiative Statute. YES. Prop. 30 is better. If voters split their votes between the two, both might lose. Vote for both if you vote for this one at all, but be sure to vote for Prop. 30.

39 Tax Treatment for Multistate Businesses. Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Funding. Initiative Statute. YES, though it probably has some pork in it.

40 Redistricting. State Senate Districts. Referendum. YES. It seems to be working. 

Local Measures:

A1: Oakland Zoo Parcel Tax NO. A boondoggle construction scheme by the Zoo’s unelected board which would Disneyfie a large part of Knowland Park with little or no benefit to the animals.

B1: Alameda County Transportation Sales Tax Increase YES. This will go for both streets and public transit, both in bad shape.

M: Berkeley Streets and Watershed bond NO. Too vague, a blank check—no guarantee it will actually be spent for desperately needed watershed measures. Try again next time. Meanwhile, support Alameda County Measure B1 for transportation needs, including both roads and transit..

N: Berkeley Pools bond YES. This N and O pair, a bond (for repair and construction) and a tax (for operation) of public pools is realistic and specific, scaled back appropriately from the previous attempt at passage. If properly managed, the warm pool could not only pay for itself but be run at a profit. Kids who grow up by the bay need to learn to swim—it’s not just recreation.

O: Berkeley Pools parcel tax YES. See Measure N.

R: Berkeley Redistricting Charter Amendment NO Gives councilmembers the power to shape districts to suit their political goals, could lead to return of gerrymandering. Some are pitching this as a path to an all-student council district, but that’s not guaranteed and might actually reduce student influence on local government.

S: Berkeley Anti-Sitting Ordinance NO, NO, NO—Expensive and ineffectual, does nothing to solve problems of indigent people on Berkeley streets.

T: Zoning for the West Berkeley Plan NO, NO, NO..Spot zoning for 5 big properties, harmful to existing residents and businesses.

U: Berkeley Sunshine Ordinance YES. Won’t hurt, might help.

V: Berkeley FACTS Initiative YES. Won’t hurt, might help. 

Berkeley City Council (Ranked Choice Vote—Choose Three):

Mayor: Kriss Worthington/Jacquelyn McCormick as 1-2 or 2-1, Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi as 3

District 2: Denisha DeLane/Adolfo Cabral as 1-2 or 2-1.

District 3: Max Anderson;

District 5: Sophie Hahn;

District 6, Phoebe Sorgen (write-in) 

Berkeley Rent Board

Berkeley Tenants Convention Candidates: Alejandro Soto-Vigil, Judy Shelton, Igor Tregub, Asa Dodsworth. 

 



The Berkeley Daily Planet takes no position on propositions, measures or candidates not mentioned above in this document. 

Click here for a printable PDF of these recommendations