Got our California Statewide Direct Primary Election, Tuesday, June 3, 2008 voter
booklet today! It’s the Official Vote Information Guide….we know because it says
so. There are only two issues in this document: Propostion 98 and Proposition 99.
Both have to do with Eminent Domain….Redevelopment and what might be done about it.
Strangely, Proposition 98 people hate Proposition 99 people and reverse…we suppose!
This controversary all stems from a Supreme Court decision called the Kelo decision.
It allowed a City on the east coast to take valuable coastal property from some home
owners and gave it to a developer…a private citizen….that could develop the property and pay the city lots of sales tax. The homeowners fought back but were
over-ruled by the Supreme Court in a 5 to 4 Decision….that stank up the place!
In any event, lots of States, Counties and Cities around the country started their
own legislative process to thwart this kind of terrible behavior by certain cities
without an ounce of ethics or concern for long term residents and citizens.
Here in California, Jon Coupal a longtime Tax fighter jumped on this issue with
both feet. Many of our own friends and colleagues have become involved in this
process which they dubbed: Proposition 98. It is a wonderful document that dots
every “i” and crosses every “t”….and then steps across the Rubicon with a very
onerous “Attrition of Rent Control” provision. Everything is beautiful until to
get to Section 6. Effective Date. Here the wheels come off the wagon. This in our
opinion was a direct sell out….to large landowners that wanted to do away with
Rent Control and many of the provisions of State Law…which protect…people like
us….that rent. Even if we are not in a “Rent Control Area”….the poltical area
or sphere of influence….protects us from Landlord wrong doing. If we vote for
Propostion 98….we are giving those protections away. Trailer Park people are
really impacted…along with long time renters, Seniors and even young kids just
starting out…..having to rent before they can buy. Sadly for the Proposition 98
people the current sub-prime meltdown….doesn’t make this issue the Poster Boy
for good or caring Government. Having said that: With the exception of Section 6
Prop. 98 is right on.
Proposition 99…is attacked by the Prop. 98 people because it supposedly doesn’t
do much. Be that as it may….Section 7 points directly to the reason for the
Proposition… “its intent to provide homeowners with protection against exercises
of Eminent Domain in which an owner-occupied resdience is subsequently conveyed to
a private person.”
That’s it!
Rent control laws discourage the building of new rental units.
A relaxation of rent control will lead to the building of more rental units.
Prop 98 is the “let’s build more affordable housing law”
Also, Prop 98 protects church property and small business property and jobs from greedy electeds turning property over to developers.
Vote YES on Prop 98 !!
Vote NO on 99 !
Getting rid of government protections is all fine, until they come for yours. Landowners are in the business to make money, so what if you and other underachievers can’t afford your rents, move out and on to cheaper digs. Making MONEY is the end game of free-market capitalism, and it is ALWAYS ruthless and heartless. Those that live by the sword are sometimes impaled by it. You might remember that, the next time you’re genuflecting at the Reagan/Bush alter.
To anon #2 (Winships)
“Those that live by the sword ..”
What the he** is your point with that comment?
hey anon 2
do you want mor or less affordable housing? that is how the market works
perhaps you prefer socialism / marxism market solutions ?
better the invisible hand than the heavy hand of the G men
Even so-called ‘free markets’ need a certain level of control. Rent control makes sense because it sets guidelines, but not the rents themselves, to protect the underprivileged class from the greedy developers. Anything less would be almost medieval by comparison.
So sure, let the market decide entirely on its own. Don’t worry about rents skyrocketing because all of those who were evicted will just line the streets in tents like they do in Los Angeles, and then nobody will want to live there. That’s the end result of your completely free market economy.
No on 98. Yes on 99. The legislature uses riders; referendums shouldn’t. Let’s vote on eminent domain only.
SMS
To Anon #2 (Winships)
This isn’t us…people…we are not
Anon on anything! We totally agree
with Sarah…..well said…..the
rest of you can go out and buy new rental property – right now….on the hope that #98 will pass most handily! In the meantime, we would advise that they place another Initiative on the ballot
and is forthcoming….that strictly addresses…the Eminent
Domain Issue and NOT the price of Rice in Little Saigon!
Wow, Ron and Anna, the old Republicans, first coming out for Obama, and now for 99 over 98?
Does your old pal Larry know this? He is very invested in 98.
He invited me to Chapman last week to learn more about Eminent Domain, and I was thinking of (when he gets back from vacation) co-writing a series with him on 98 versus 99. In at least 3 parts: the rent control controversy, the 99-not-protecting-churches controversy, and the environmental poison pill in 98.
Vern,
We are not exactly Hannity and Coombs..(Larry and the Winships)
and do agree on most things…just
on occasion….we agree to disagree
…mainly when it comes to HOV
Lanes…and now on this issue.
Brother Ron and Sister Anna.
So good to be back home.
In the next day or two I will release an Op-Ed that I drafted in Orlando covering another aspect of the reasons voters must support Prop 98.
As you can imagine having been away for 10 days there are numerous to do’s awaiting immediate attention.
Simply stated. Vote YES on Prop 98 and NO on Prop 99.