Edward Henderson | California Black Media
Proposition 5 would amend the California constitution by lowering therequired voter approval threshold to 55% for local governments toborrow money to fund affordable housing construction, down paymentassistance programs, supportive housing and public infrastructureprojects. “Infrastructure,” according to the proposition’s language caninclude a broad range of development projects, including watermanagement, local hospitals, police stations, broadband networks, parksand other development projects.Under current law, it takes a supermajority of 66% of voters to approvethose housing and infrastructure bonds.If Prop 5 passes, the new approval threshold will apply not just to futurebonds, but any that are on the ballot this November. That includes aproposed $20 billion affordable housing bond in the San FranciscoBay area.Supporters of the proposition believe that lowering the voter approvalthreshold to 55% would make it easier for cities and towns to borrowmoney in support of critical projects like creating more affordablehousing to address the state’s ongoing housing shortage andhomelessness crisis, for example.California Black Media (CBM) reached out to the Western StatesRegional Joint Board Workers United, a labor union that supports a yesvote for Prop 6. They represent Industrial Laundry workers andStarbucks employees. They provided the following statement:
“As a union that represents low wage workers in communities whereaffordable housing is virtually non-existent, we join the proponents ofProp 5 in supporting a more streamlined solution to funding the buildingof more affordable housing by a majority threshold.”Jesse Arreguin, the mayor of Berkeley and vice president of theAssociation of Bay Area Governments is also on record saying: “AsCalifornians, it is our right to tell the government how it should spendour taxpayer funds. If a majority of people believe that generalobligation bonds should be issued for critical housing and infrastructureneeds, then it should not be blocked by a minority. People may notalways agree on everything, but our democratic system allows us todebate the best path forward and collectively implement the will of thepeople. Prop. 5 will give more control to the voters in how our money isspent, while making it easier to address some of the most critical issuesof our time.”Opponents believe that decisions which put more debt on the stateshould be made via a board consensus. They warn, if Prop 5 passes,borrowing for local development projects will be paid with higher taxes.Critics also call the measure an attempt to undo the taxpayer protectionsthat California voters embedded into the state constitution with Prop 13.CBM spoke with David Kline, Vice President of Communications &Research for CalTax on why a no vote for prop 5 is the best option.“The bottom line is, we oppose it because it’s going to increase the costof living in California,” said Kline. “We think the cost of living here isalready too high. By making it easier for local governments to approvemore bonds, that leads to property tax increases because that’s howbonds are repaid.That means it’s more expensive for people with their own homes,renters, because the taxes will get passed along to the renters for small
businesses. It increases the cost of running a business because theproperty taxes will go up. So, just in general, we don’t think it isnecessary to make it even easier to increase property taxes with newbonds.”Opponents also believe that when it is easier to borrow money, someelected officials are likely to spend existing tax revenues on everythingexcept high-priority needs. They believe the higher threshold is a propercheck and balance to make sure funds only go to projects that areimperative.“Under the current system local governments still can approve bonds.They need two-thirds vote, which is a reasonable threshold because itmeans the community really has to come together and agree onsomething to get to that vote level. Bonds are approved all the timeunder the current threshold, so the current system is working. It doesn’tneed to be changed to make it easier to increase taxes now.”Supporters of Prop 5 include the California Professional Firefighters; theLeague of Women Voters of California; and Habitat for HumanityCalifornia. Some opponents are the California Taxpayers Association;The California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce; and the WomenVeterans Alliance.A “yes” vote supports lowering the vote threshold from 66.67% to 55%for local bond measures to fund housing projects and publicinfrastructure.A “no” vote opposes lowering the vote threshold from 66.67% to 55%for local bond measures to fund housing projects and publicinfrastructure.
