Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Member/Alternates Only Meeting
Virtual meeting via ZOOM
Minutes
Present: Patti Arlt, Deborah Barmack, Peter Barmack, Carole Beswick, Chris Carrillo, Mark Cloud, Ken Coate, Sandra Cuellar, Kevin Dyerly, Louis Goodwin, Otis Greer, Milford Harrison, Lowell King, Pam Langford, Bill Lemann, Dan Little, P.T. McEwen, Darcy McNaboe, John Mirau, Dan Murphy, Vikki Ostermann, Bansree Parikh, Catherine Pritchett, Brian Reider, Thomas Rice, Michael Rivera, Elizabeth Romero, Dan Schenkel, Kristine Scott, Paul Shimoff, Sol Teh, Pete Van Helden and Ray Wolfe.
Announcements: 1) Carole Beswick, CEO summarized Treasurer Mark Kaenel’s financial report for year to date ending 9/30/20. The reports and the summary will be posted on the IA website.
Louis Goodwin, Chair, presiding.
The Executive Committee recommends to the Membership the following amendment to Inland Action policies with modified language in bold:
Endorsements of Candidates and Ballot Measures Policy. As a non-profit, non-partisan corporation, Inland Action does not support candidates for elective office. Inland Action does not invite candidates for elective office to speak at meetings or sponsored events within the 60 days prior to an election, unless such meetings or events serve as a forum at which all candidates for a given office are invited to attend and address the gathering. Notwithstanding this policy, nothing shall prohibit Inland Action from adopting positions on proposed ballot measures affecting issues of importance to Inland Action.
A majority of the members present voted to approve the policy amendment.
Motion by K. Scott/Second by K. Coate/Passed: Minutes from October 6, 2020.
The 13 statewide ballot propositions were each summarized in three minutes.
Prop. 14: Stem Cell Research Institute Bond Initiative.
- A “yes” vote supports issuing $5.5 billion general obligation bonds for the state’s stem cell research institute and making changes to the institute’s governance structure and programs.
- A “no” vote opposes issuing $5.5 billion general obligation bonds for the state’s stem cell research institute, which ran out funds derived from Proposition 71 (2004) for new projects in 2019.
Prop 15: Tax on Commercial and Industrial Properties for Education and Local Government Funding Initiative.
- A “yes” vote supports this constitutional amendment to require commercial and industrial properties, except those zoned as commercial agriculture, to be taxed based on their market value, rather than their purchase price.
- A “no” vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thus continuing to tax commercial and industrial properties based on a property’s purchase price, with annual increases equal to the rate of inflation or 2 percent, whichever is lower.
Prop 16: Repeal Proposition 209 Affirmative Action Amendment
- A “yes” vote supports this constitutional amendment to repeal Proposition 209 (1996), which stated that the government and public institutions cannot discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to persons on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, and public contracting.
- A “no” vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thereby keeping Proposition 209 (1996), which stated that the government and public institutions cannot discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to persons on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, and public contracting.
Prop 17: Voting Rights Restoration for Persons on Parole Amendment.
- A “yes” vote supports this constitutional amendment to allow people on parole for felony convictions to vote.
- A “no” vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thereby continuing to prohibit people who are on parole for felony convictions from voting.
Prop 18: Primary Voting for 17-Year-Olds Amendment.
- A “yes” vote supports this constitutional amendment to allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the next general election to vote in primary elections and special elections.
- A “no” vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thereby continuing to prohibit 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the next general election to vote in primary elections and special elections.
Prop 19: Property Tax Transfers, Exemptions, and Revenue for Wildfire Agencies and Counties Amendment.
- A “yes” vote supports this constitutional amendment to:
* allow eligible homeowners to transfer their tax assessments anywhere within the state and allow tax assessments to be transferred to a more expensive home with an upward adjustment.
* increase the number of times that persons over 55 years old or with severe disabilities can transfer their tax assessments from one to three;
* require that inherited homes that are not used as principal residences, such as second homes or rentals, be reassessed at market value when transferred; and
* allocate additional revenue or net savings resulting from the ballot measure to wildfire agencies and counties.
- A “no” vote opposes this constitutional amendment, therefore continuing to:
* allow eligible homeowners to transfer their tax assessments within counties and to homes of equal or lesser market value;
* keep the number of times that persons over 55 years old or with severe disabilities can transfer their tax assessments at one;
* allow the tax assessments on inherited homes, including those not used as principal residences, to be transferred from parent to child or grandparent to grandchild.
Prop 20: Criminal Sentencing, Parole, and DNA Collection Initiative.
- A “yes” vote supports this initiative to add crimes to the list of violent felonies for which early parole is restricted; recategorize certain types of theft and fraud crimes as wobblers (chargeable as misdemeanors or felonies); and require DNA collection for certain misdemeanors.
- A “no” vote opposes this initiative to add crimes to the list of violent felonies for which early parole is restricted; recategorize certain types of theft and fraud crimes as wobblers (chargeable as misdemeanors or felonies); and require DNA collection for certain misdemeanors.
Prop 21: Local Rent Control Initiative.
- A “yes” vote supports this ballot initiative to allow local governments to enact rent control on housing that was first occupied over 15 years ago, with an exception for landlords who own no more than two homes with distinct titles or subdivided interests.
- A “no” vote opposes this ballot initiative, thereby continuing to prohibit rent control on housing that was first occupied after February 1, 1995, and housing units with distinct titles, such as single-family homes.
Prop 22: App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative.
- A “yes” vote supports this ballot initiative to define app-based transportation (rideshare) and delivery drivers as independent contractors and adopt labor and wage policies specific to app-based drivers and companies.
- A “no” vote opposes this ballot initiative, meaning California Assembly Bill 5 (2019) could be used to decide whether app-based drivers are employees or independent contractors.
Prop 23: Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative.
- A “yes” vote supports this ballot initiative to require chronic dialysis clinics to have an on-site physician while patients are being treated; report data on dialysis-related infections; obtain consent from the state health department before closing a clinic; and not discriminate against patients based on the source of payment for care.
- A “no” vote opposes this ballot initiative to require chronic dialysis clinics to have an on-site physician while patients are being treated; report data on dialysis-related infections; obtain consent from the state health department before closing a clinic; and not discriminate against patients based on the source of payment for care.
Prop 24: Consumer Personal Information Law and Agency Initiative.
- A “yes” vote supports this ballot initiative to expand the state’s consumer data privacy laws, including provisions to allow consumers to direct businesses to not share their personal information; remove the time period in which businesses can fix violations before being penalized; and create the Privacy Protection Agency to enforce the state’s consumer data privacy laws.
- A “no” vote opposes this ballot initiative to expand the state’s consumer data privacy laws or create the Privacy Protection Agency to enforce the state’s consumer data privacy laws.
Prop 25: Replace Cash Bail with Risk Assessments Referendum.
- A “yes” vote is to uphold the contested legislation, Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), which would replace cash bail with risk assessments for detained suspects awaiting trials.
- A “no” vote is to repeal the contested legislation, Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), thus keeping in place the use of cash bail for detained suspects awaiting trials.
Discussions ensued and questions were fielded. Appreciation was expressed to each of the presenters for their research and non-partisan explanation.
Meeting adjourned at 8:55 a.m.