Subject: L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Voter Guide
From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 1996 13:10:24 -0500

Please post everywhere!  Thank you.

L.A. GAY & LESBIAN CENTER'S VOTER GUIDE 

CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE BOND
MEASURES/BALLOT INITIATIVES             
                    
GET OUT AND VOTE
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1996 

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center OPPOSES PROP. 209,
which would ban affirmative action,
AND SUPPORTS PROP. 215, which would allow use of
marijuana for medical purposes.  We took no  position
in any of the other initiatives.

(Unless otherwise noted, organizations listed are based in
California.)

Prop. 204 - Safe Clean Reliable Water Bond:  Authorizes
$995 million in bonds to pay for water programs that will
restore the environment, increase water supplies, prevent
water pollution and protect against floods.
Supporters (Partial List):  (an alliance of business, water
and environmental groups) Environmental Defense Fund,
CA League of Conservation Voters, Save SF Bay
Association and the CA Chamber of Commerce, L.A.
Times
Opponents (Partial List):  Libertarian party, which
traditionally opposes all bond proposals.

Prop. 205 - Prison Construction Bond:  Authorizes $700
million in bonds for building and repairing county prisons.
Supporters (Partial List):  (law enforcement agencies) CA
State Sheriffs' Association,  CA District Attorneys'
Association, L.A. Times
Opponents (Partial List):  (groups against "three strikes"
law and those who believe public money is better spent on
educational opportunities, youth programs, jobs, etc.)
American Friends Service Committee, National  Lawyers
Guild

Prop. 206 - Veteran Home Loan Bond:  Authorizes $400
million in bonds to help all veterans, regardless of need, to
buy farms or homes.
Supporters (Partial List):  CA Assn. of County Veterans
Service Officers, CA Assn. of Realtors, CA Labor
Federation, all state senators and assemblymembers, L.A.
Times
Opponents (Partial List):  (opponents argue that this
program duplicates the Fed. VA Program and that
assistance should be determined by need) Coalition to End
Homelessness

Prop. 207 - Guarantee Public's Right to An Attorney: 
Bans restrictions on the right to negotiate attorney's fees.

Supporters (Partial List):  Consumer Attorneys of
California
Opponents (Partial List):  National Fed. of Independent
Businesses, CA Chamber of Commerce, Gov. Wilson,
L.A. Times

Prop. 208 - Campaign Contributions & Spending Limits. 
Restricts Lobbyists - Common Cause Initiative: Limits
campaign contribution per candidate: $100-districts of less
than 100,000, $250-larger districts, $500-statewide races.
Small contributors' committees may donate twice the stated
limits as may contributors to candidates who have spending
caps. Restricts all contributions to $25K in a 2-yr. period.
Limits candidate's loan to his/her campaign: $50K for
governor, $20K for rest. Bans fund transfers between
candidates. Limits time for fundraising. Prohibits lobbyists'
contributions. Must disclose ballot measures' top donors.
Increases penalties under the Political Reform Act. 
Provides incentives to candidates if they accept voluntary
spending limits.
Supporters (Partial List):  League of Women Voters,
American Assn. of Retired Persons, Common Cause,
United We Stand America; L.A. Times
Opponents (Partial List):  CA Public Interest Research
Group (CALPIRG), Stonewall Democratic Club,
Mexican American Political Assn., CA Teachers
Assn., SEIU, CA Labor Fed.

Prop. 209 - Ban on Affirmative Action:  Eliminates all
public affirmative action programs and weakens state
protection from gender discrimination.  (Discrimination
against lesbians and gay men frequently takes the form of
gender discrimination.)
Supporters (Partial List):  Gov. Pete Wilson, Sen. Bob
Dole, CA Republican Party, Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren,
Congressman Dornan, Lou Sheldon's Traditional Values 
Coalition
Opponents (Partial List):  L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center,
NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Mexican American Legal
Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), ACLU, 
Lambda Legal Defense Fund, Human Rights Campaign,
CA Democratic Party, Rosa Parks, President Bill Clinton,
Gen. Colin Powell, Mayor Riordan, Assemblymember
Sheila Kuehl, L.A. Times, singer Bruce Springsteen, LIFE
Lobby

Prop. 210 - Minimum Wage Increase:  Mandates an
increase in the state's minimum wage from $4.25 per hour
to $5 an hour in March 1997 and $5.75 in March 1998.

Supporters (Partial List):  Mexican American Legal
Defense & Educ. Fund, CA Labor Federation, Congress of
CA Seniors, CA Council of Churches, ACLU
Opponents (Partial List):  CA Restaurant Association, CA
Hotel & Motel Assn., CA Retailers Assn, L.A. Times

Prop. 211 - Retirement Income Protection & Security: 
Would hold companies liable to any person who suffers
stock losses as a result of fraud.
Supporters (Partial List):  (plaintiffs' attorneys, labor,
consumer & institutional investment groups)  American
Assn. of Retired Persons, CA Keating Victims, CA Labor
Federation, Consumer Federation of CA, CA Democratic
Party
Opponents (Partial List):  (opponents contend that making
CA law tougher than other states would send business and
jobs out of CA) B of A, CA Chamber of Commerce, Nat'l
Venture Capital Assn., CA Republican Party, Pres. Bill
Clinton, Sen. Bob Dole, L.A. Times

Prop. 212 - Campaign Contributions & Spending Limits;
Repeals Gifts & Honoraria Limits; Restricts Lobbyists -
CALPIRG Initiative: Limits campaign contributions per
candidate: $200-statewide offices, $100-most others.
Permits small contributors' committees 100 times the
individual limit.  Limits out-of-district contributions to
25%.  Bans businesses, unions and nonprofits' direct
contributions. Limits time for fundraising. Bans fund
transfers between candidates. Prohibits lobbyists'
contributions. Restricts individual contributions to $2K/yr.,
all others to $10K/yr. Limits candidate's loan to his/her
campaign: $25K for governor, $10K for others. Repeals
the ban on gifts & honoraria to candidates. Unlike 208, this
one imposes mandatory spending limits per candidate,
which appears to be unconstitutional under U.S. Supreme
Court & other federal court rulings.
Supporters (Partial List):   CA Public Interest Research
Group (CALPIRG), Mexican American Political Assn.,
CA Teachers Assn., CA Federation of Labor
Opponents (Partial List):  League of Women Voters,
American Assn. of Retired Persons, Common Cause,
United We Stand America; L.A. Times;  Stonewall
Democratic Club

Prop. 213 - Limitations on Recovery to Felons, Uninsured
Motorists & Drunk Drivers:  Prohibits "noneconomic
damages" such as pain & suffering for uninsured or drunk
drivers though they may still seek damages for medical
benefits, lost wages or vehicle damage.  Prevents felons
from suing for damages or injuries sustained while
committing or fleeing their crime.
Supporters (Partial List):  Insurance Commissioner Chuck
Quackenbush;  insurance industry including Farmers,
Mercury General & State Farm
Opponents (Partial List):  L.A. Times; consumer groups
including Prop. 103 Enforcement Project, Consumer Action
& United Policyholders; Stonewall Democratic Club;
ACLU

Prop. 214 - Regulation of Health Maintenance
Organizations - SEIU Initiative:  Bars HMOs from
denying care without physical exam.  Requires more
comprehensive staffing standards. Bars HMOs from  using
financial incentives to withhold care. Bars "gag orders"
against doctors and nurses. Requires better dissemination
of info to the public. Requires HMOs and insurers to
disclose patient care expenses versus exec. salaries and
corporate overhead. Requires majority vote of Legislature
to amend.
Supporters (Partial List):  SEIU, CA Fed. of Teachers,
United Cerebral Palsy Assn., CA Physicians Alliance,
Children Now; San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Stonewall
Democratic Club,  ACT-UP Los Angeles, ACLU
Opponents (Partial List):  Business interests led by HMOs
and hospitals; CA Chamber of Commerce; CA Taxpayers
Assn.; CA Dental Assn.; local chambers of commerce;
L.A. Times

Prop. 215 - Medical Use of Marijuana:  Exempts from
criminal prosecution patients & defined caregivers for
possessing or cultivating marijuana for medical treatment
as recommended by a physician.  Provides that physician
who recommends use shall not be punished.
Supporters (Partial List):  L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center,
APLA, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, LIFE AIDS
Lobby, Log Cabin Republicans, Stonewall Democratic
Club, San Francisco Board of Supervisors and Mayor
Willie Brown, West Hollywood City Council, American
Public Health Assn., ACLU
Opponents (Partial List):  Gov. Pete Wilson, Sen Bob.
Dole, President Clinton's Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey,
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, CA Medical Assn., CA Peace
Officers Assn., Partnership for a Drug Free America, L.A.
Times

Prop. 216 - Regulation of Health Maintenance
Organization. Taxes on Corporate Restructuring - CA
Nurses Assn. Initiative:  Bars HMOs from denying care
without physical exam.  Requires more comprehensive
staffing standards. Bars HMOs from  using financial
incentives to withhold care. Bars "gag orders" against
doctors and nurses.  Establishes a nonprofit consumer
advocate.  Bars insurers from requiring mandatory
arbitration in malpractice claims. Bars increases in
premiums unless "financially necessary." Requires 2/3 vote
of Legislature to amend. (One of the primary differences
with 214 is that 216 imposes taxes on corporate
restructuring and other taxes with revenues allocated for
public health services such as trauma care and preventive
care.)
Supporters (Partial List):  Ralph Nader, CA Nurses
Association, consumer activist Harvey Rosenfield, ACT-UP
Los Angeles, actor Christopher Reeve, ACLU
Opponents (Partial List):  Business interests led by HMOs
and hospitals; CA Chamber of Commerce; CA Taxpayers
Assn.; CA Dental Assn.; local chambers of commerce;
L.A. Times

Prop. 217 - Reinstatement of Top Income Tax Brackets.
Revenues to Local Agencies:  Retroactively reinstates
highest tax rates of 10% &  11% on single taxpayers with
taxable incomes over $115,000 & $230,000 respectively,
& joint taxpayers with taxable incomes over $230,000 &
$460,000 respectively.  Allocate revenues from those rates
to local agencies.
Supporters (Partial List):  League of Women Voters, CA
Teachers Assn, Sierra Club; counties including Los
Angeles, San Francisco, Alameda, Riverside & San
Bernardino
Opponents (Partial List):  CA Chamber of Commerce,
Nat'l Fed. of Independent Businesses, CA Manufacturers
Assn., local chambers of commerce and taxpayer
organizations, L.A. Times

Prop. 218 - Voter Approval for Local Govt. Taxes. 
Limitations on Fees, Assessments & Charges:  Requires
majority votes to approve any increases in general taxes. 
Limits local governments' use of fees, assessments &
taxes.  Stipulates that fees & assessments can only be used
for specified purposes but not for general public projects or
services such as public safety or libraries.
Supporters (Partial List):  Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn.,
CA Republican Party, CA Chamber of Commerce, CA
Farm Bureau
Opponents (Partial List):  L.A. Board of Supervisors, CA
Library Assn., League of Women Voters, Sierra Club,
American Jewish Congress, public employee & teachers
unions, fire/police chiefs assn., L.A. Times

Prepared by  the Public Policy & Communications
Department.  For further info, please call (213) 860-7350.