Seven statewide ballot propositions will be on a special May 19, 2009 election ballot in California. Six of the seven ballot measures were voted onto the ballot in a special legislative session in Sacramento the week of February 16th as a negotiated effort between Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Democratic majority in the California State Legislature and a handful of Republican legislators.[1],[2]

Proposition Description
Proposition 1A Prop 1A combines a 4-year tax hike of about $16 billion with a state spending cap
Proposition 1B Modification of California Proposition 98 (1998) to free up money for state's budget overruns.
Proposition 1C Sell rights to future lottery proceeds as a way of raising some cash now for state budget.
Proposition 1D Asks voters to approve taking money from Prop 10 in 1998 for purposes not allowed in that 1998 vote.
Proposition 1E Asks voters to take money from Prop 63 for purposes not allowed in that 2004 vote.
Proposition 1F No pay raises for state legislators in years when there is a state budget deficit
Proposition 13 (SCA 4) Prohibit re-evaluating new construction for property tax purposes when the new construction was undertaken to seismically retrofit an existing building.

California citizens have a chance to tell the spendthrifts to go to hell. All it takes is an appropriate NO vote on 5 of 6 California 2009 ballot propositions.

Shell Games

The idea that one can borrow money from lottery proceedings to balance the budget is of course preposterous. And anyone voting for $16 billion in higher taxes either has holes in their head or is a direct recipient of the money.

In Move is up to California voters the LA Times reported "An average family of four with an annual income of $75,000 would pay about $963 more a year in taxes, according to a legislative analysis."

Bear in mind $16 billion is not even enough as California's budget has deteriorated by $8 billion since the legislature worked out the compromise. To close the ever-growing gap solely with tax hikes, Californians ought to be prepared to pay $1800 more a year in taxes.

Moreover, the "rainy day" spending curbs in Proposition 1A can only be enacted if the tax hikes are extended from two to four years."