YES ON PROPOSITION 12 --- PARK BONDS

The League of Women Voters supports Proposition 12, the Safe Neighborhood Park, Clean Air & Water and Coastal Protection Bond, because it provides $2.1 billion to address pressing needs for protection of our environment now and for future generations. It would fund acquisition, development, improvement, rehabilitation, restoration, and protection of park, recreation, open space and agricultural lands, and cultural, fish and wildlife, lake, river and coastal resources.

YES ON PROPOSITION 13 --- WATER BONDS

The League of Women Voters supports Proposition 13, the Safe Drinking Water, Clean Water, Watershed Bond, because it provides $1.97 billion for projects for safe drinking water, flood and watershed protection, clean water and water recycling, water conservation, and water supply reliability. It encourages better planning and management of water resources with an emphasis on nonstructural alternatives, such as conservation and reclamation, while producing enough new water to avoid predicted water shortages in the future.

YES ON PROPOSITION 14 --- LIBRARY BONDS

The League of Women Voters supports Proposition 14, the Reading & Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction & Renovation Bond, because we believe a good public library system is an essential community service. This measure would authorize $350 million to provide up to 65% of the funding for construction or renovation of local libraries. Priority is given to joint use projects between libraries and schools. It is an investment in literacy and learning.

NO ON PROPOSITION 20 --- STATE LOTTERY: CARDENAS TEXTBOOK ACT

The League of Women Voters opposes this measure because it would earmark for educational materials a portion of state lottery money already going to schools. We believe it is better to leave it to local school districts to decide their own greatest needs.

NO ON PROPOSITION 21 --- JUVENILE CRIME ACT

The League of Women Voters opposes this measure because it adds to the law numerous punitive measures for juvenile offenses which we believe are not necessary. It would give prosecutors, rather than judges, the authority to send teenagers to adult court. The expense of the measure, because of longer incarceration terms, higher court costs and added bureaucratic requirements, would add so much to both state and local costs that it could take away funding from new preventive programs. These programs are both more humane and more cost effective, and are working to build safer communities. This measure is a harsh and outdated approach that is unnecessary at a time when juvenile crime rates are already falling.

NO ON PROPOSITION 22 --- LIMIT ON MARRIAGES

The League of Women Voters opposes this initiative because it is a divisive measure that would create discrimination in California against one group of people. California now allows only non-gay couples to marry. This measure would prohibit the State from recognizing same-sex marriages that are legal in another state. We believe this is both discriminatory and constitutionally suspect. California recognizes marriages from other states with differing requirements, e.g. a lower age limit.

NO ON PROPOSITION 25 --- CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

The League of Women Voters opposes this measure even though it has some attractive features, such as disclosure requirements and limited public financing for candidates. It also has exemptions for contributions to political parties that would write into California law the kind of "soft money" loopholes that have plagued the presidential election public funding system. Special interests will continue to dominate campaign finance through a variety of exemptions. It would also raise state and local campaign contribution limits to an unprecedentedly high level, $5,000 at the state level, and $3,000 for local campaigns. We also oppose its provision of partial public funding for initiative campaigns. The League continues to advocate for real reform, but this measure is not the answer.

YES ON PROPOSITION 26 --- SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE FOR LOCAL SCHOOL BONDS

The League of Women Voters supports lowering the vote requirement for approval of local school bonds from the present 2/3 to a simple majority. Rising school populations and aging schools, in combination with added space needs caused by class size reduction have left school districts far short of the facilities they need to accommodate our children safely and comfortably. Most school bonds pass with more than a majority vote, but the 2/3 requirement allows a minority of voters to prevent local schools from providing the schools our students need.

NO ON PROPOSITION 27 --- CONGRESSIONAL TERM LIMIT DECLARATIONS

The League of Women Voters opposes this measure, which would allow information about a Congressional candidate's intent to limit her/his own term in office to be included on the ballot. Congressional term limits can only be imposed by a Constitutional amendment, and we believe this is simply an effort to pressure California candidates into committing themselves to term limits.

NO ON PROPOSITION 28 --- REPEAL OF PROPOSITION 10 TOBACCO SURTAX

The League of Women Voters opposes this measure, which would repeal the Proposition 10 tobacco surtax passed at the last election. The programs for early childhood development funded by that measure are just beginning to be put into operation, and we believe the voters' choice at the last election should not be overturned without giving the programs a chance to succeed.