LEADING GOVERNMENT REFORM ADVOCATES, CAMPAIGN FINANCE EXPERTS, WORKING CALIFORNIANS URGE “NO ON PROP 32”

SACRAMENTO – The League of Women Voters of California, California Common Cause, and working Californians joined together to launch the NO on Proposition 32 campaign.

Proposition 32 claims to be “political reform,” but in reality was intentionally written to create special exemptions for billionaire businessmen and business special interests, giving them even more political power to write their own set of rules.

Prop 32 – also known as the Special Exemptions Act – was written to exempt:

• Super PACs, which can raise unlimited amounts of money from business special interests and billionaires to influence elections. See the Ventura County Star blog on the Super PAC exemption here.

• Thousands of big businesses that aren’t technically “corporations” but rather are “LLCs” or “real estate trusts” or any other form of business structure, thereby intentionally exempting Wall St. investment firms, hedge funds, developers, insurance companies, and more than 1,000 Major Donors to California campaigns. See the San Francisco Chronicle examination of this giant exemption here.

 “The League of Women Voters of California has examined Proposition 32 and concluded that this initiative is not at all what it seems,” said Trudy Schafer, Senior Director for Program of the LWVC. “Prop 32 promises 'political reform,' but is really designed by its special-interest backers to help themselves and harm their opponents. Despite its proponents’ claims, it won’t take money out of politics. That’s why we urge a No vote.”

“We can all agree, Sacramento has too much special interest influence. And the money spent on political campaigns has caused all of us to mistrust the campaign finance system,” said Derek Cressman, Western Regional Director for Common Cause. “But Prop 32 is trying to use our anger and mistrust to change the rules for the benefit of already powerful interests – not the benefit of all Californians. Voters should take a close look to avoid being fooled.”

While providing special exemptions for its special interest backers, Prop 32 unfairly restricts the right of working Californians and their unions to participate in the political process while leaving business special interests unchecked. While Prop 32 claims to be “balanced,” the news media have widely described the measure as a “phony veneer of fairness,” “dripping with cynicism,” and “deceptive,” whose “primary goal is to hogtie labor unions”.

“I always put my students' needs first, but this initiative will make it harder for teachers to advocate for the resources they need to provide a well-rounded education,” said Lysa Sassman, a second-grade teacher in the Auburn Union School District. “It is grossly unfair that corporate special interests want to silence my voice when that would only hurt our students and our public schools while putting the future of our communities in jeopardy.”

“Proposition 32 will make things worse,” said Emily Lo, a Fire Captain from Davis. “Restricting unions and their workers while not stopping corporate special interests will result in a political system that favors corporate special interests over everyone else. If you don’t want special interests in control of public safety, air and water safety, or consumer protections, vote NO on Prop 32.”

Prop 32 is opposed by the state’s leading government reform groups, including the League of Women Voters, California Common Cause, Public Citizen and the California Clean Money Campaign, along with more than 100 public safety, labor, education, health care, consumer, environmental, religious, and senior organizations. See the coalition urging a NO vote on 32 here.

Learn more about Prop 32 -- the Special Exemptions Act at www.VoteNoOn32.com.

 

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