Our view: Blanket 'yes' or 'no' just won't cut it

Californians are understandably disenchanted with their leaders in Sacramento, who played a partisan game of chicken for months as the state budget careened toward a deficit abyss.

Polls show voters leaning toward shooting down all of the state money measures on the May 19 Special Election ballot except, of course, for Proposition 1F, which would prohibit lawmakers and statewide elected officials from receiving pay raises whenever the state runs a deficit.

But blindly voting “no” makes no more sense than automatically voting “yes” on every one of the propositions. In fact, the latter approach might make more sense in a community as dependent upon state jobs as we are.

The best alternative is to bear down and study each of the propositions. With the exception of the aforementioned 1F, none of the decisions is easy.

• Proposition 1A tries to smooth out the budget cycle and prevent the type of fiscal nightmare currently confronting state government by creating a rainy day fund in good times to be drawn from during bad times. A spending cap seems reasonable — we’re in deep trouble now because of the propensity of state leaders to overspend during boom times.

Prop 1A also extends for up to two years the temporary tax increases passed to alleviate the current crisis. Those increases, including a 1-cent hike in the sales tax, hit taxpayers just as many were struggling to balance their own budgets. But again, does it behoove Del Norte County to reject a revenue measure that might prevent job losses or pay cuts for state employees who drive our local economy?

• Proposition 1B would provide $9.3 billion to education, but educators will tell you that money is already owed under a previous voter-approved measure that set minimum funding levels for schools and community colleges. While this would more clearly commit certain revenue to education, it takes away some budget flexibility at a time when there is clearly not enough money to go around.

Prop 1B would take effect only if 1A passes.

• Proposition 1C would supposedly boost state lottery revenue through the promise of larger jackpots, allowing the state to borrow about $5 billion in the coming fiscal year. It doesn’t address what would happen if the lottery failed to produce the increased revenue necessary to pay back the loans.

Clearly this would be a dubious proposition in good times, but again, what are we willing to do to keep state government afloat?

•  Propositions 1D and 1E could be especially vexing for Del Norters, because they would temporarily siphon money from funds voters approved specifically for services to children and the mentally ill. Prop 1D would take nearly $1.7 billion over the next five years from First 5, a children’s program that has been widely praised for its successes here.

The initiatives’ proponents point to the need for budget flexibility in a time of crisis.   

Some tough decisions await, and none is particularly inspiring to ponder. But no one ever said being a voter was an easy job. It’s best to make six individual choices, cast your ballot, and take some solace in having done your part.