Sample Ballot confusion

Well the sample ballots arrived in the mail Friday, and with them the final language on Measures Q and R (p 13). I don’t know if I just never bothered to know which was which but I was surprised that the first one, Q, is the non-binding “quality of life” measure and R is the actual tax hike. The effect of this, for anyone out there who may have been in suspended animation for the last few months, is that you read along your ballot and get to Measure Q: “shall 50% of a new voter-approved sales tax be used for a sports and entertainment facility?” Just any old voter-approved sales tax, they’re not picky. And then when you reach your patience threshhold reading that one, you skip to the next and just get hit with “shall the board levy a 1/4 percent sales tax for general purposes?” I had always assumed that they’d hit you with the money first and then with the arena. It seems like if you’re asking for a billion dollars you should strive for as few chances as possible to confuse the frakk out of everybody.

Also, that thing about it being a general use tax, and how if it were specific that would require a super majority? The Argument in Favor of Measure R (p 39), signed by Matt Mahood but not many of the other big name supporters, reads in part: “Imagine a new community owned sports and entertainment complex in the heart of our region – a vibrant new home for the Kings, Monarchs, etc.” There goes that. The argument goes on to cite dozens of other possible uses of the money, including parks, crimefighting, shrinking class size, personal jetpacks, thought-powered mail delivery, Disneyland Citrus Heights, and the Sorceror’s Stone. Share the vision!

Author: CoolDMZ

"X-ray vision to see in between / Where's my kimono and my time machine?" View all posts by CoolDMZ