Articles by Bob Morris

Credit: clickrally.com Despite having been overruled by the state's Supreme Court, the California Proposition 40 senate redistricting could create unpredictable consequences. Prop 40 was a response by Republicans who believe the recently redrawn state senate districts are unfair and favor Democrats. However, in January, the California Supreme Court ordered that the new districts be used. Thus, Prop 40 became meaningless and even its supporters stopped campaigning for it. This should be the end ...

Credit: poeticshutterbug.blogspot.com Businesses operating in both California and elsewhere can currently choose two ways of determining taxable California income, the three-factor method or the single sales factor method. California Prop 39 would require multistate businesses to use the single sales factor method only, generating an additional $1 billion in revenue for the state. The three-factor method calculates taxes based on sales, property, or employees in California. The single sales fac...

Credit: ca.gov Education funding with California Prop 38 would come from the proposition's hike to state income tax rates for virtually all Californians in order to raise $10 billion a year. The funds would also go to paying off debt. Seventy percent of the revenue will go towards financing schools and early care, with the remaining thirty percent earmarked for paying down debt. (The State of California made $4.7 billion in bond debt payments in 2010-2011 with $3.2 billion of that going towards...

Credit: pdxpurple.com Prop 37 would require labeling for most genetically engineered foods sold in California. Currently, 40-70% of food sold in California grocery stores has some GE ingredients. Under Prop 37, retailers would be responsible for validating the labels on genetically engineered food. They would be required to prove that a specific food is not GE by producing a sworn statement from the supplier that the product does not knowingly contain GE material or by independent certificatio...

Credit: latimes.com Proposition 36 seeks to change the California Three Strikes sentencing, which began in 1994 when Prop 184 passed. Under the current Three Strikes law, a person with two serious or violent felony convictions receives a sentence of life with a minimum term of 25 years for a third conviction, regardless of its seriousness. Under California Proposition 36 Three Strikes sentencing, those with two or more violent or serious convictions whose new offense is nonserious would instead...

Credit: vcreporter.com Human trafficking is forcing a person into prostitution or making them to work against their will. California Prop 35 increases human trafficking penalties by expanding its definition and increasing the severity of sentences and fines. For example, a defendant can no longer claim they did not know the person was a minor. Prop 35, to clear up a possible source of confusion, does not apply to human smuggling, which is bringing people across the border illegally (except of c...

San Quentin death row. Credit: vote29.com Should those convicted of murder in California continue to be executed or should they given life imprisonment without possibility of parole? Proponents of Prop 34 favor repealing the death penalty. Opponents favor keeping it. The California Proposition 34 death penalty repeal initiative is one of the most visible and controversial propositions on the ballot in November. In addition to strongly-held views about the death penalty, much of the controversy...

Credit: daveynin / Flicker California Proposition 33 will change auto insurance rates by allowing insurance companies to set rates based on a driver's history of continuously having insurance with any insurance company rather than just with the current insurer. Most drivers with a history of continuous insurance would be eligible for lower rates. However, some would pay more. George Joseph, founder of Mercury Insurance, is the primary funder of Prop 33. He has contributed $8 million of his own...

Credit: queenscrap.blogspot.com Controversial California Proposition 32 aims to block unions from making political contributions with money deducted from union members' paychecks. Prop 32 is a battleground proposition with well-financed unions fighting to block it and deep-pockets donors, some of them billionaires, working to pass it. As of September 24, donations have reached an astonishing $48 million. No on 32 campaign contributions total $40 million while the Yes on 32 campaign has received...