Comments on: An Open Letter to California

By: Moderate Moe

Moderate Moe — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:28:09 +0000

Prop 13 is majorly flawed. Business is the most rewarded by it. Companies hold real estate for years, whereas individuals have their taxes reset to the value at each new owner.

Prop 13 HURTS the economy and rewards business with low property tax. When people buy new homes they spend thousands on new stuff- movers, furniture, painting, property improvements. Prop 13 stops all this business.

Currently you can have 2 people who are neighbors, in literally the same value homes- 1 pays 7,000 per year and the other pays 1,200. is this fair? They receive the same services. Reform property tax so everybody pays a fair amount.

By: Moderate Moe

Moderate Moe — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:18:58 +0000

John, you’ve missed one further fault of the ballot initiative. It has become a way for politicians to not take a stand on major issues. Once upon a time politicians had to campaign based on actual issues, whereas now they campaign on their party’s “values”, but don’t really say anything. It has become a way to blame voters when a budget doesn’t pass since the voters didn’t chose the needed tax to pay the bills.

By: Dan McGown

Dan McGown — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 02:15:38 +0000

John, I’m from Ohio where it’s never been too accepting anyway. It’s legal to discriminate against gays, openly, in housing and employment. Our initiative process lets the State Constitution be amended by a simple majority vote. When they passed Issue One here, banning legal recognition of any relationship that in any way approximates traditional marriage, they made it part of our Constitution. Ordinary legislation can’t change it and all it takes to get there is one vote more than half.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:42:10 +0000

So if my wife cheats on me, my options are putting up with it or arranging an accident? Hmm…

By: Pete Kaplan

Pete Kaplan — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:56:22 +0000

Don’t forget to mention all the other State governments that have Prop. 13 legislation that are on the brink of bankruptcy!

By: Liam

Liam — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:03:21 +0000

Where do we find a petition to sign? Your logic in this is flawless.

By: AndyM

AndyM — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 04:01:06 +0000

I’m half a nation away, but if there’s anything I can do in southern Missouri let me know!

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:28:36 +0000

Yes, please let us know when we can help gather signatures. I’m pretty stoked for that. Thank you so much for doing this.

By: Wilma

Wilma — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:42:03 +0000

Excellent letter, they forgot to point out that star power was no longer the only qualification to run for governer but that if you had enough money you could attempt to buy your way into office ala Meg Whitman. I didn’t see that reported on ABC 7! This action of yours and I daresay ours is a legitimate and valid use of the ballot-initiative process as certain as ABC 7 broadcasts 1/13 truths and sensationalism to buy viewers and higher ratings.

By: John Stephan Edwards, PhD

John Stephan Edwards, PhD — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:55:02 +0000

Put me down as a volunteer to gather signatures in Palm Springs. This town is chock full of older conservative people who would, I am sure, be happy to sign a petition protecting marriage from the dangers of rampant divorce. And along with the “Grays,” Palm Springs is also home to lots of “Gays,” many of whom were married in that brief period when it was legal. I feel sure they and their friends would want to protect their own marriages from messy divorces as well.