1) Change Lottery
Allows Greater Percentage of State Lottery Revenue to be Used for Prizes and Requires smaller Percentage to be Used for Expenses. Initiative Statute.
Summary Date: 02/05/10 | Circulation Deadline: 07/05/10 | Signatures Required: 433,971
Proponent: Matthew J. Geyer c/o Chip Nielsen (415) 389-6800
Allows more than 50% of state lottery revenue to be paid in prizes. Reduces revenue allocated for operational and administrative expenses from 16% to 13%. Eliminates requirement that at least 34% of revenue go to public schools, but requires that revenues be distributed in a way "designed to maximize" the benefit to schools. Requires that this measure generate more money for schools than existing law, or existing revenue allocation laws will be restored. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Estimated increase of several hundred million dollars per year in lottery profits paid to public educational entities. Exact amount of lottery sales and profit growth, if any, would depend on choices by consumers and lottery officials. (09-0099.) (Full Text)
2) End 2/3rd Vote Requirement to Pass Budget
Changes Legislative Vote Requirement to Pass a Budget from Two-Thirds to a Simple Majority. Retains Two-Thirds Vote Requirement for Taxes. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
Summary Date: 12/09/09 | Circulation Deadline: 05/10/10 | Signatures Required: 694,354
Proponents: James C. Harrison and Thomas A. Willis (510) 346-6200
Changes the legislative vote requirement necessary to pass the state budget from two-thirds to a simple majority. Provides that if the Legislature fails to pass a budget bill by June 15, all members of the Legislature will permanently forfeit any reimbursement for salary and expenses for every day until the day the Legislature passes a budget bill. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Unknown changes in the content of the state budget from lowering the legislative vote requirement for passage. Fiscal impact would depend on the composition and actions of future Legislatures. Minor reduction in state costs related to compensation of legislators in years when the budget bill is passed after June 15. (09-0057.) (Full Text)
3) 2/3rd Vote for State Levies & Fees
Increases Legislative Vote Requirement to Two-Thirds for State Levies and Charges. Imposes Additional Requirement for Voters to Approve Local Levies and Charges with Limited Exceptions. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
Summary Date: 01/22/10 | Circulation Deadline: 06/21/10 | Signatures Required: 694,354
Proponent: Allan Zaremberg c/o Steve Lucas (916) 446-6752
Increases legislative vote requirement to two-thirds for state levies and charges, with limited exceptions, and for certain taxes currently subject to majority vote. Changes Constitution to require voters to approve, either by two-thirds or majority, local levies and charges with limited exceptions. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potentially major decrease in state and local revenues and spending, depending upon future actions of the Legislature, local governing bodies, and local voters. (09-0093.) (Full Text)
4) No Unfunded Mandates for Local Governments
Prohibits the State from Taking Funds Used for Transportation or Local Government Projects and Services. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
Summary Date: 12/16/09 | Circulation Deadline: 05/17/10 | Signatures Required: 694,354
Proponents: Joshua Shaw, Christopher K. McKenzie, and James N. Earp
Prohibits the State from shifting, taking, borrowing, or restricting the use of tax revenues dedicated by law to fund local government services, community redevelopment projects, or transportation projects and services. Prohibits the State from delaying the distribution of tax revenues for these purposes even when the Governor deems it necessary due to a severe state fiscal hardship. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Significant constraints on state authority over city, county, special district, and redevelopment agency funds. As a result, higher and more stable local resources, potentially affecting billions of dollars in some years. Commensurate reductions in state resources, resulting in major decreases in state spending and/or increases in state revenues. (09-0063.) (Full Text)
5) Term Limits
Limits on Legislators' Terms in Office. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
Summary Date: 11/23/09 | Circulation Deadline: 04/22/10 | Signatures Required: 694,354
Proponent: Lance H. Olson (916) 442-2952
Reduces the total amount of time a person may serve in the state legislature from 14 years to 12 years. Allows a person to serve a total of 12 years either in the Assembly, the Senate, or a combination of both. Applies only to legislators first elected after the measure is passed. Provides that legislators elected before the measure is passed continue to be subject to existing term limits. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: No direct fiscal effect on state or local governments. (09-0048) (Full Text)
6) Close Corporate Tax Loopholes
Repeals Recent Legislation That Would Allow Businesses to Carry Back Losses, Share Tax Credits, and Use a Sales-Based Income Calculation to Lower Taxable Income. Initiative Statute.
Summary Date: 12/14/09 | Circulation Deadline: 05/13/10 | Signatures Required: 433,971
Proponents: Robin Johansen and Karen Getman (510) 346-6200
Repeals recent legislation that would allow businesses to shift operating losses to prior tax years and that would extend the period permitted to shift operating losses to future tax years. Repeals recent legislation that would allow corporations to share tax credits with affiliated corporations. Repeals recent legislation that would allow multistate businesses to use a sales-based income calculation, rather than a combination property-, payroll- and sales-based income calculation. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Annual state revenue increase from business taxes of about $1.7 billion when fully phased in, beginning in 2011-12. (09-0058.) (Full Text)
7) Cigarette Tax
Imposes Additional Tax on Cigarettes for Cancer Research. Initiative Statute.
Summary Date: 02/01/10 | Circulation Deadline: 07/01/10 | Signatures Required: 433,971
Proponent: N. Eugene Hill (916) 442-2952
Imposes additional five cent tax on each cigarette distributed ($1.00 per pack), and an equivalent tax increase on other tobacco products, to fund cancer research and other specified purposes. Requires tax revenues be deposited into a special fund to finance research and research facilities focused on detecting, preventing, treating, and curing cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and other tobacco-related diseases, and to finance prevention programs. Creates nine-member committee charged with administering the fund. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Increase in new cigarette tax revenues of about $855 million annually by 2011- 12, declining slightly annually thereafter, for various health research and tobacco-related programs. Increase of about $45 million annually to existing health, natural resources, and research programs funded by existing tobacco taxes. Increase in state and local sales taxes of about $32 million annually. (09-0097.) (Full Text)
8) Jobs Initiative
Suspends Air Pollution Control Laws Requiring Major Polluters to Report and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions That Cause Global Warming Until Unemployment Drops Below Specified Level for Full Year. Initiative Statute.
Summary Date: 02/07/10 | Circulation Deadline: 07/19/10 | Signatures Required: 433,971
Proponent: Thomas W. Hiltachk (916) 442-7757
Suspends State laws requiring reduced greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming, until California's unemployment rate drops to 5.5 percent or less for four consecutive quarters. Requires State to abandon implementation of comprehensive greenhouse-gas-reduction program that includes increased renewable energy and cleaner fuel requirements, and mandatory emission reporting and fee requirements for major polluters such as power plants and oil refineries, until suspension is lifted. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potential positive, short-term impacts on state and local government revenues from the suspension of regulatory activity, with uncertain longer-run impacts. Potential foregone state revenues from the auctioning of emission allowances by state government, by suspending the future implementation of cap-and-trade regulations. (09-0104.) (Full Text)