Ballot proposition Chamber recommendations

After studying and discussing the merits of each of he Propositions on the June 8 ballot, a subcommittee of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Forum made the following recommendations, which were approved by the Chamber’s Board of Directors as a guide for Chamber members:

* Prop 13: Seismic retrofitting of existing buildings would not trigger a property tax reassessment. — Recommendation: Yes (Also supported by California Chamber of Commerce, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, L.A. Times, and Pasadsena Star-News)

* Prop 14: Open Primary – all voters can choose any candidate regardless of party. — Recommendation: Yes (Also supported by California Chamber of Commerce, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, L.A. Times, and Pasadsena Star-News)

* Prop 15: Fair Elections Act – Repeals ban on public funding of political campaigns, but only in this pilot program for volunteers who run for Secretary of State. Each must agree to limited spending and each who demonstrates enough public support would get an equal amount of state funding and be prohibited from raising or spending any further money. — Recommendation: No Position (concept is sound but implementation may be problematic, and other states have invalidated similar legislation as unconstitutional) (Opposed by California Chamber of Commerce and Pasadena Star-News; supported by L.A. Times)

* Prop 16: Increase voter approval percentage to two-thirds if local government wants to offer alternative electricity service to residents. — Recommendation: No (PG&E is proposing this legislation that would only benefit them while undercutting control and choice of local municipalities and residents.) (Supported by the California Chamber of Commerce; Opposed by L.A. Times and Pasadena Star-News.)

* Prop 17: Continuous Coverage Auto Insurance Discount – allows insurance companies to provide discounts to continuously insured drivers and increases to drivers who have let their insurance lapse for whatever reason. — Recommendation: Yes (Supported by the Californiia Chamber of Commerce; Opposed by L.A. Times and Pasadena Star-News.)