(Sept. 19, 2019, 9:05 a.m.) -- LBREPORT.com urges LB residents to tell Governor Gavin Newsom to veto SB 268, an election-tilting, anti-taxpayer, anti-transparency measure which LBREPORT.com reported in detail here.
SB 268 would let local government bodies -- like the LB City Council -- tell voters to "See voter guide for tax rate information" instead of summarizing in a 75 word ballot title taxpayer impacting details of measures that seek to impose or increase taxes with more than one rate or approve debt-bonds that would increase property taxes. Of course this would make it less likely for voters to learn the costly details of future City Hall-written tax increase ballot measures and easier to pass them. Months ago, Mayor Garcia (who has no City Charter authority to set City policy) quietly told SB 268's author, state Senator Scott Wiener (D, SF) that he (Garcia) favored enacting the bill and LB's policy-setting Councilmembers then observed a code of silence. The Council's "State Legislation Committee," chaired by Councilman Al Austin, didn't discuss SB 268 or any Sacramento bills as they advanced in 2019. All of LB's Sac'to lawmakers voted to advance SB 268 to the Governor's desk: State Senator Tom Umberg (D, SE LB-west OC) and Lena Gonzalez (D, LB-SE L.A. County) and Assemblyman Patrick O'Donnell. [Scroll down for further.] |
Veteran Sacramento journalist Dan Walters (formerly SacBee columnist who now writes for CalMatters explained the ugly background for SB 268 in "Bill Reduces Ballot Measure Transparency," writing in June in pertinent part: ...[SB 268] would allow local officials to remove the required information about tax consequences from the ballot summary that voters read before casting their votes and place it, instead, in the voter pamphlet or another separate statement, where it would get much less attention. By emailing Governor Newsom, you will accomplish two important missions regardless of the outcome on the bill.
LBREPORT.com provides suggested text to email Governor Newsom; of course you can compose your own. Veto request re SB 268. Email to: leg.unit@gov.ca.gov. We invite you to either cc: or :bcc LBREPORT.com on what you send and let us know what response you receive (if any.). Governor Newsom could act on SB 268 anytime between today and Oct. 13. When he does, LBREPORT.com will report it. Opinions expressed by LBREPORT.com, our contributors and/or our readers are not necessarily those of our advertisers. We welcome our readers' comments/opinions 24/7 via Disqus, Facebook and moderate length letters and longer-form op-ed pieces submitted to us at mail@LBReport.com.
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