How to stand up for affordable housing, good jobs, quality schools and healthcare this election:
The Nov. 6 elections are fast approaching! Our Neighborhood Action Team has been out in the community knocking on doors and speaking to people about the elections and the choices that voters will be making.
There are some crucial initiatives on the ballot that affect our region’s most pressing issues — affordable housing, protections for renters, good jobs with living wages, workers’ rights, school funding, access to healthcare, and funding for vital community services:
State of California
Yes on Prop 1: Affordable housing bond
Prop 1 would ease our housing crisis by allowing the state to build or renovate affordable housing for low-income Californians, veterans, and farmworkers by borrowing $4 billion.
Yes on Prop 2: Housing the homeless bond
Prop 2 would allow the state to build or renovate housing for Californians with mental illness that are homeless.
Yes on Prop 3: Safe water bond
Prop 3 would allow the state to fund water and environmental projects, including upgrading the crumbling water pipelines system that has left some communities in the Central Valley without access to water.
Yes on Prop 4: Children’s hospital bond
Prop 4 would allow the state to construct, expand, renovate, and better equip children’s hospitals by borrowing $1.5 billion.
No on Prop 5: Tax giveaway for wealthy homeowners
Prop 5 would cut over $100 million dollars from the budgets of our local governments and schools every year, growing to about $1 billion annually. Instead, this money would go towards tax breaks for wealthy older homeowners when they decide to purchase a new, expensive home. Losing that funding would seriously impact our schools and communities.
No on Prop 6: Cuts road repair and transportation funding
Prop 6 would cut more than $5 billion in road and public transportation funding. That would stop critical infrastructure projects, including many that are currently underway, like repairing crumbling roads and bridges, filling potholes, and reducing traffic by upgrading our public transit system.
Yes on Prop 8: Safeguards access to dialysis
Prop 8 would help to stop for-profit dialysis clinics from overcharging sick patients and turning patients away if they’re unable to pay.
Yes on Prop 10: Expands right to pass local rent control
Prop 10 will help to stop California families being priced out of their areas and allow people them to remain in their communities and children to stay enrolled in their schools. It would do this by paving the way for stronger rent control protections across the state by allowing cities and counties more control to pass rent stabilization laws that are best for their residents.
No on Prop 11: Eliminates ambulance worker break rules
Prop 11 would remove labor protections for private-sector ambulance workers. That could mean that ambulance workers who already work long, exhausting shifts, do not get uninterrupted breaks while on duty.
Santa Clara County
Yes on Measure A: Continues funding for critical services
Measure A will retain $50 million annually in funding for critical County services by extending a 1/8th of 1 cent sales tax passed by voters in 2012. This funding can be used to fund Valley Medical Center and related health services, programs for the homeless, affordable housing, and other services and programs.
City of San Jose
Yes on Measure S: Public sector contracting reforms
Measure S will give small, local, and economically disadvantaged businesses a better shot at public contracts. It will also allow the city to consider experience and work quality in addition to cost when selecting a contractor for a City project.
Yes on Measure T: Infrastructure funding
Measure T will repair critical infrastructure like bridges vulnerable to earthquakes. It will also repave streets and potholes, and prevent flooding and water quality contamination.
Yes on Measure V: Affordable housing funding
This $450 million bond will assist the city in reaching its goal of adding 10,000 affordable homes over the next five years. The affordable housing funds will be targeted toward extremely low-, low-, and middle-income families who are suffering the effects of the housing crisis the most.
