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2012 STATEWIDE: Yes on Proposition 32: Corporate Funding of Political Campaigns
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Election - November 6, 2012
State of California
State of California
Proposition 32:
Political Contributions by Payroll
Deduction. Contributions to Candidates
Political Contributions by Payroll
Deduction. Contributions to Candidates
SVTA recommends a YES vote for Prop. 32.
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Who stands to lose if Prop. 32 passes? For a partial list of donors to the opposition, click here.
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- Prohibits unions from using payroll-deducted funds for political purposes. Applies same use prohibition to payroll deductions, if any, by corporations or government contractors.
- Permits voluntary employee contributions to employer-sponsored committee or union if authorized yearly, in writing.
- Prohibits unions and corporations from contributing directly or indirectly to candidates and candidate-controlled committees.
- Other political expenditures remain unrestricted, including corporate expenditures from available resources not limited by payroll deduction prohibition.
- Prohibits government contractor contributions to elected officers or officer-controlled committees.
- A YES vote on this measure means:
- Unions and corporations could not use money deducted from an employee's paycheck for political purposes. Unions, corporations, and government contractors would be subject to additional campaign finance restrictions.
- A NO vote on this measure means:
- There would be no change to existing laws regulating the ability of unions and corporations to use money deducted from an employee's paycheck for political purposes. Unions, corporations, and government contractors would continue to be subject to existing campaign finance laws.
You may read the Proposition 32's Full Text here, and the Impartial Analysis here.
| Arguments for Proposition 32 |
Arguments Against Proposition 32 |
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Yes on 32: Cut the Money Tie between Special Interests and Politicians Politicians take millions in campaign contributions from corporations and government unions and then vote the way those special interests tell them. Politicians end up working for special interests, not voters. The result: massive budget deficits and abuses like lavish pensions and bad teachers we can’t fire. Prop. 32 prohibits both corporate and union special interest contributions to politicians. NO EXEMPTIONS. NO LOOPHOLES. Individual Californians can contribute, not special interests! Voters Beware: Special interests have spent tens of millions of dollars to prevent Prop. 32 from cutting the money tie between them and politicians. They’ll say anything to protect the status quo. They’ve invented a false, bogus, red-herring argument: They claim Prop. 32 has a loophole to benefit the wealthy and corporations to fund independent PACs. The fact is both unions and corporations fund independent political committees protected by the Constitution that cannot be banned. “Prop. 32 ends corporate and union contributions to California politicians. Period. No exceptions. It goes as far as the U.S. Constitution allows to end special interest influence in state government. I urge you to vote Yes on Prop. 32.” YES ON 32: THREE SIMPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD REFORMS · Bans corporate and union contributions to politicians · Stops contractors from giving to politicians who approve their contracts · Makes political contributions voluntary and prohibits money for political purposes from being deducted from employees’ paychecks CUTS THE MONEY TIE BETWEEN SPECIAL INTERESTS AND POLITICIANS Politicians hold big-ticket, lavish fundraisers at country clubs, wine tastings and cigar smokers. Fat-cat lobbyists attend these fundraisers and hand over tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributions. Most happen when hundreds of bills are up for votes, allowing politicians and special interests to trade favors:
STOPS SPECIAL INTERESTS FROM TAKING POLITICAL DEDUCTIONS FROM EMPLOYEE PAYCHECKS TO GUARANTEE EVERY DOLLAR GIVEN FOR POLITICS IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY The Supreme Court recently said the political fundraising practices of a large California union were “indefensible”. (Knox vs. SEIU) Prop. 32 will ensure that California workers have the right to decide how to spend the money they earn. They shouldn’t be coerced to contribute to politicians or causes they disagree with. STOPS CONTRACTORS FROM CONTRIBUTING TO POLITICIANS WHO APPROVE THEIR CONTRACTS Today, it is legal for politicians to give contracts to political donors, shutting out small businesses in the process. Prop. 32 will end this special treatment and the waste it causes, like a $95 million state computer system that didn’t work. (CNET, June I2, 2002) All of this Special Interest corruption will continue without your vote. Yes on 32! http://www.stopspecialinterestmoney.org GLORIA ROMERO, State Director Democrats for Education Reform GABRIELLA HOLT, President Citizens for California Reform JOHN KABATECK, Executive Director National Federation of Independent Business-- California |
The League of Women Voters of California, California Common Cause and the California Clean Money Campaign all oppose Proposition 32. That’s because Proposition 32 is not what it seems. Prop. 32 promises “political reform” but is really designed by special interests to help themselves and harm their opponents. That’s why we urge a No vote. WILL NOT TAKE MONEY OUT OF POLITICS
NOT REAL CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM Real campaign reform treats everyone equally, with no special exemptions for anyone. Proposition 32 was intentionally written to exempt thousands of big businesses like Wall Street investment firms, hedge funds, developers, and insurance companies. Over 1000 of the companies exempted by this measure are listed as Major Donors by the California Secretary of State. They have contributed more than $10,000,000 to political campaigns, just since 2009. UNBALANCED AND UNFAIR This measure says it prohibits unions from using payroll-deducted funds for political purposes. It says it also applies to corporations, so it sounds balanced. But 99% of California corporations don’t use payroll deductions for political giving; they would still be allowed to use their profits to influence elections. That’s not fair or balanced. Just take a look at the official summary. You can see the imbalance from this line: “Other political expenditures remain unrestricted, including corporate expenditures from available resources not limited by payroll deduction prohibition.” LOOK WHO’S BEHIND IT Many top contributors to Proposition 32 are former insurance company executives, Wall Street executives, developers, and big money donors to causes which benefit from Prop. 32’s special exemptions. Sacramento has too much partisan bickering and gridlock. The money spent on political campaigns has caused all of us to mistrust the political campaign system. The sponsors of Proposition 32 are trying to use our anger and mistrust to change the rules for their own benefit. PROPOSITION 32 WILL MAKE THINGS WORSE Some say “this is unbalanced but it’s a step forward.” Here’s the problem with that. Restricting unions and their workers while not stopping corporate special interests will result in a political system that favors corporate special interests over everyone else. If you don’t want special interests in control of air and water safety and consumer protections, vote NO on Prop. 32. Go to http://www.VoteNoOn32.com and see for yourself why Proposition 32 is not what it seems and will hurt average Californians. Vote NO on Proposition 32.
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| Rebuttal to Argument for Prop. 32 |
Rebuttal to Argument against Prop. 32 |
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Before you vote on Prop. 32, answer two questions: Would billionaires pay to place this on the ballot unless they were getting exemptions? When’s the last time a proposition backed by special interests in California didn’t contain loopholes or exemptions? There’s always a catch, and Prop. 32 is no different. Real estate developers, insurance companies and billionaire venture capitalists are just three groups EXEMPT from provisions of Prop. 32, while a union will no longer be able to contribute to candidates. In addition, huge corporate special interests can continue to spend unlimited money on politics. Prop. 32 supporters claim workers are forced to contribute to politics or causes they disagree with. They aren’t. Current law protects workers from being forced to join a union or paying fees to unions for politics. What’s really going on?
The League of Women Voters opposes Prop. 32. It’s a thinly disguised attempt to fool voters into thinking it’ll improve Sacramento’s mess. In fact, it’ll make things worse.
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SPECIAL INTERESTS ARE NOT TELLING YOU THE TRUTH. They say they oppose Prop. 32 for WHAT IT DOESN’T DO. But they’re trying to stop it for WHAT IT DOES. The fact is, Prop. 32 goes as far as the Supreme Court allows: It stops both corporations and unions from giving money to politicians. No exemptions. No loopholes. YES ON 32: THREE SIMPLE REFORMS:
Big-money special interests are spending millions to stop Prop. 32. They refuse to lose their power over Sacramento. Just one example: When the LA school district couldn’t move quickly to fire a teacher for sexually abusing his students, it asked lawmakers to pass a law making it easier. But the state’s largest teachers union--which gave $1 million to politicians over two years--called in its army of lobbyists. They killed the reform. LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa called it “cynical political manipulation.” To the San Francisco Chronicle it was “sickening.” Business as usual hurts real Californians. Take the big money out of politicians’ hands. YES ON 32.
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- Contact FOR Proposition 32:
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Yes on 32--Stop Special Interest Money Now. Supported by small business owners, farmers, educators, and taxpayers.
(800) 793-6522
info@yesprop32.com
http://www.yesprop32.com
Paid for by the Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association PAC.