This is the second of two stories on the positions the Sunnyvale City Council has taken on state and county initiatives.
By KATHERINE PETERSEN
The Sunnyvale City Council voted to support, oppose or take no position on all 15 state propositions and four countywide measures up for voter approval Nov. 5. The City Council generally takes policy positions on state and county ballot measures in advance of the election.
Prop. 215--Oppose. Medical Use of Marijuana. This proposition would exempt from criminal laws patients and defined caregivers who possess or cultivate marijuana for medical treatment with approval from a physician. Supporters say marijuana can relieve pain and suffering of serious illnesses such as cancer and AIDS. But opponents contend that this proposition will allow people to grow and smoke marijuana for stress or any other illness. They say that no written prescription or examination is required. The American Cancer Society rejects smoking marijuana for medical purposes, and no major doctor's organization supports 215.
Prop. 216--No Position. Health Care, Consumer Protection, Taxes on Corporate Restructuring. Proposition 216 encourages health care professionals to inform patients of health care options and prohibits conditioning coverage on arbitration agreement. It establishes nonprofit consumer advocates. Supporters say this proposition will protect consumers from unsafe care by insurance companies and HMOs. It outlaws bonuses to doctors for denying treatment and restores control of patient care to doctors and nurses. Proposition 216 is backed by the California Nurses Association and Ralph Nader.
Opponents contend that this proposition will cost taxpayers and consumers billions without providing coverage to the uninsured. Proposition 216 creates four new taxes, dramatically higher health insurance costs, more government bureaucrats, more frivolous lawsuits for trial lawyers and up to 60,000 lost jobs, opponents say.
Prop. 217--No Position. Top Income Tax Brackets, Reinstatement of Revenues to Local Agencies. Proposition 217 retroactively reinstates the highest tax rates on residents with a taxable income of more than $115,000 and $230,000 and joint taxpayers with taxable incomes of more than $230,000 and $460,000. The revenues from these rates would revert to local agencies. The changes would result in an annual increase in state personal income tax revenues of about $700 million, with about half the revenues allocated to schools and half to local governments.
Prop. 218--No Position.Voter Approval for Local Government Taxes; Limitation on Fees, Assessments and Charges. Proposition 218 requires a majority of voters to approve increases in general taxes. It also requires that property-related assessments and fees be submitted to property owners for approval. Local governments may experience short-term losses of up to $100 million annually. Sunnyvale could lose up to $400,000 annually. Long-term local government revenue losses of potentially hundreds of millions of dollars annually would follow. The council chose to inform the public about this measure and its impact on Sunnyvale through KSUN and the Internet rather than take a position.
Santa Clara County Measures
Measure A--Support. Passage of this advisory measure would put many transportation improvements at a high priority if funding was available. Funding would be use to fix streets and potholes; build a link to BART; synchronize traffic lights on all county expressways; build Tasman, Capitol, Vasona Light Rail lines; widen Interstate 880, U.S. 101 and highways 87 and 17; increase CalTrain service; upgrade many freeway interchanges; expand bicycle routes; and improve senior and disabled transit service. The cost of these projects is estimated at $1.1 billion, which could be supported by a half-cent sales tax if Measure B is approved.
Measure B--Support. This measure would allow the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to enact a half-cent sales tax for general county purposes with mandatory restrictions. The sales tax must expire after nine years. A Citizens Watchdog Committee, selected independently with direction from the County Grand Jury and the League of Women Voters, will conduct yearly audits of all sales tax expenditures.
Measure C--Support. This measure would allow the county to call an election or an appointment, depending on the time remaining in office, when a vacancy occurs.
Measure D--Support. This measure would confirm that the county will continue to provide transit services according to its long-range plan.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, October 30, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.