Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Issue date: 11/3/04 Section: Campus News

Here is a look at how local propositions and measures faired as of early Wednesday morning.

Proposition 63, which establishes a 1 percent tax on taxable personal income more than $1 million to fund expanded health services for mentally ill children, adults and seniors, passed with 53.6 percent of voter approval.

The proposition requires that a surcharge on state personal income taxes be enacted for taxpayers with annual taxable incomes of more than $1 million to finance an expansion of county mental health programs.

Proposition 66, which limits the "Three Strikes" law to violent and/or serious felonies, failed with 47.2 percent voter approval. If approved, the current "Three Strikes" sentencing law would have been amended to require that a second and third strike offense be a serious or violent felony, instead of any felony, in order for the longer sentences required under the "Three "Strikes to apply. The state would have had to resentence "third strikers" whose third strike was nonviolent and non-serious.

Proposition 68, which authorizes tribal compact amendments, did not pass, with only 16.3 percent of voter approval. Therefore, slot machines will not be authorized at racetracks and card rooms, Indian tribes will continue to be subject to current tribal-state gambling compacts and local governments will not receive new gambling revenues.

Proposition 69, which sought collection and submission of DNA samples was approved, with 61.8 percent voter approval.

The collection of DNA samples will include all convicted felons, and some convicted nonfelons, as well as individuals arrested for certain offenses

Proposition 70, the expansion of gambling on tribal lands, did not pass, with 73.1 percent of voters saying "no."

Indian tribes will continue to be subject to existing tribal-state gambling compacts, which require various types of payments to the state Proposition 71, the measure on bonds for stem-cell research, passed with 59.2 percent of voter approval.

The proposition means the state will establish a new state medical research institute and authorize the issuance of $3 billion in state general obligation bonds to provide funding for stem cell research and research facilities in California.

Proposition 72, the measure on a health care mandate for business did not pass, with 51 percent of voters voting against the measure.

The measure sought to approve legislation requiring health care coverage for employees, as specified, working for large and medium employers.

Proposition 1A, which sought to insure that local property tax and sales tax revenues remain with local government, passed with 83.5 percent voter approval. The proposition significantly restricts State authority over local government finances.

Proposition 59, a measure giving Californians a constitutional right of access to government information, was approved by 83.1 percent of voters.

The partisan primary measure Proposition 60 passed with a 67.4 voter approval, permitting the top vote-getter from each party in a state primary election to advance to the general election. Proposition 60A, which requires the state to use any revenues from the sale of surplus property to accelerate the repayment of some existing bonds, passed with a voter approval of 73 percent.

Voters approved Proposition 61 by 58 percent, permitting the state to sell $750 million in general obligation bonds for the construction, expansion, remodeling, renovation, furnishing, equipping, financing and refinancing of children's hospitals.

Proposition 62 failed with 54.3 percent of voters saying "no" against the measure that would have all voters receive the same primary election ballot for most state and federal offi ces and the top two vote-getting candidates - regardless of political party identification - placed on the general election ballot.

Proposition 64, which allows individual or class action "unfair business" lawsuits only if actual loss is suffered, passed with 53.6 percent voter approval.

The proposition says no person can bring a lawsuit for unfair competition unless the person has suffered injury and lost money or property (except for the Attorney General and local public prosecutors).

Proposition 65, which sought voter approval for reduction of local fee/tax revenues, did not pass, with 62.5 percent of voters saying no.

Proposition 67, the measure increasing the telephone surcharge and allocating funds for things like emergency room physicians and hospital emergency rooms did not pass, with only a 28.3 voter approval.

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