In an attempt to make the topics of 13 propositions on the Nov.
7 ballot memorable enough for the public to vote on, the UCLA
School of Law hosted a “Hot Topics, Cold Facts” forum
to discuss each proposition.
The merits of notifying parents before a minor’s abortion;
placing Global Positioning Systems devices on high-risk sex
offenders; and taxing California oil producers to support
alternative energy research were among the issues debated.
State Assembly members, professors, lawyers and representatives
of various organizations were invited to take part in the
controlled debate to educate the public on both sides of each
issue, said Kathay Feng, director of voter advocate group Common
Cause, which co-sponsored the event.
Feng encouraged students to be educated and vote on all of the
propositions.
“Many first-time voters experience shock when they step
into the booth and see how many things there are to vote
for,” Feng said. “Then they turn in a ballot
that’s mostly blank, and that’s a shame.”
Feng also said if young voters want to see campaigns geared more
toward them, they must first improve their turnout, which has
remained low year after year.
Ryan Dunn, a student in the UCLA School of Public Affairs and
the UCLA School of Law, said he came to watch the debate knowing
nothing except what he had seen on TV in campaign ads.
“I want to hear more than what I get from ads on
television,” Dunn said. “Hearing about these issues
from people that are directly invested in it and how they respond
to things off the cuff is a lot more interesting too. I will
definitely research all them and have a sample ballot ready for
election day.”
The rest of the state will also be able to access and listen to
the debate, Feng said.
The event was filmed and will be available on DVD in
mid-October.
During the debate there was also discussion of the five-part
package of bond propositions that will be on the November
ballot.
Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, argued that Propositions
1A, 1B, 1D and 1E were absolutely necessary in California in order
to properly fund the state’s education, transportation and
disaster preparedness for the present and future.
But Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles, said a bond
proposal like Proposition 1A, which secures more money for
transportation, takes away from money that could be kept in a
rainy-day fund to deal with potential emergencies.
The Proposition 1C portion of the package deals with more
affordable housing, which would benefit cities such as Los Angeles
that have over 90,000 people without homes, said Marsha Temple,
president of Homeless Health Care Los Angeles.
But Peter De Baets, a Libertarian candidate for the California
State Senate, said the bond does not address fundamental issues as
to why there is no affordable housing and how to get more
affordable housing.
There was also discussion of propositions dealing with campaign
financing, council member term limits and eminent domain.
Dunn is particularly interested in Proposition 90, having to do
with eminent domain.
Law student Nate Brown said he is not particularly interested in
the propositions. He said he would rather see state legislators
deal with issues such as energy costs and transportation
funding.
“The average citizen ““ myself included ““ does
not have the time or resources to create laws,” Brown said.
“That’s why we hire legislators and pay them to work
full time.”