Document:California Press Release 29 December 1999 Positions on March Ballot Initiatives
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- NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA
- 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 900
- Sacramento, CA 95814
- (916) 449-3941
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- For immediate release: December 29, 1999
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- For additional information:
- Juan Ros, Executive Director
- Phone: (818) 506-0200
- Mailto:director@ca.lp.org
- Web: http://www.ca.lp.org/
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Libertarians announce positions on March ballot initiatives
SACRAMENTO -- California Libertarians support Indian gaming and gay marriages, and they oppose bond measures and restrictions on political speech, according to positions on the March ballot initiatives announced today by the Libertarian Party of California.
"Libertarians are uncompromising in our support for individual liberty and limited government, and our positions on the many propositions reflects the empowering, freeing nature of that philosophy," declared Libertarian state chair Mark Hinkle.
Among the more controversial measures, Libertarians support Proposition 1-A, the Indian gaming constitutional amendment. "We were among the first groups to endorse 1998's Proposition 5. Indians should be free to decide their future without government interference," Hinkle said.
Libertarians also support Proposition 23, which would add a non-binding "None of the Above" for candidates on the ballot. "We'd prefer a binding 'None of the Above,' which is what we use for internal party elections, but this is a good step in that direction," Hinkle noted.
Proposition 28, the repeal of the tobacco tax enacted by 1998's Proposition 10, also received the party's endorsement. "Our predictions have come true: Prop. 10 has created a new government bureaucracy and has expanded the cigarette black market," Hinkle pointed out. "Californians need to do away with this draconian, discriminatory, and unfair tax."
On the con side, Libertarians oppose Propositions 12 through 16, all bond measures. "Floating bonds is always the most expensive way to finance projects. With California's enormous budget surplus, there is no excuse for passing these bonds," said Hinkle.
Libertarians also oppose Proposition 22, the Definition of Marriage initiative. Government should not be involved in marriage at all, according to Hinkle. "Whatever contract or arrangement two people decide to enter into out of love is not the government's business."
Ron Unz's campaign finance reform measure, Proposition 25, also gets a "no" from Libertarians. "Not only would Prop. 25 violate free speech, but it would also benefit entrenched incumbents at the expense of challengers," Hinkle predicted. "That's no solution."
Proposition 26, backed by the California Teachers Association and opposed by Libertarians, would lower the two-thirds vote requirement for passage of local bond measures, down to a simple majority. "Passage of Prop. 26 would be devastating to property owners and beneficial only to teachers unions," Hinkle stated.
"We urge voters to study each initiative and ask themselves: will this law make California more or less free? Does this initiative increase liberty or restrict it? That's our benchmark."
The following is the list of Propositions on the March 7 primary ballot for which the Libertarian Party of California has taken positions:
- Proposition 1-A: Yes
- Proposition 12: No
- Proposition 13: No
- Proposition 14: No
- Proposition 15: No
- Proposition 16: No
- Proposition 17: Yes
- Proposition 20: No
- Proposition 21: No
- Proposition 22: No
- Proposition 23: Yes
- Proposition 25: No
- Proposition 26: No
- Proposition 27: Yes
- Proposition 28: Yes