Carl DeMaio and Reform California have released their “Plain English” voter guide to give you an easy-to-understand explanation of the ballot measures and to grade candidates.
WARNING! CA politicians have placed several deceptively-worded measures on your ballot – and special interests are funding dishonest campaigns to trick voters and split the vote in key races.
Check out Reform California's “Plain English” Voter Guide below so you know what you are actually voting on – complete with ratings for all candidates on your ballot (including school board and judges) along with red flags on any measures with hidden tax hikes.
Review the guide below - and share it with your friends, family and neighbors!
No on Prop 1: Borrows $11.25 Billion for Costly Housing Projects
Politicians want to borrow $10 Billion on the taxpayers’ credit card — and you’ll pay back over $17 billion with interest. Provides taxpayer-funded subsidies to developers without reforming costly mandates that make housing so expensive. Prop 1 does nothing to make housing more affordable. Many of the boondoggle projects supported by this bond will cost more than $1 MILLION per unit! Campaign contributors to politicians also get special contracts under Prop 1.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 1
No on Prop 2: Guts State Budget Spending Limit and Cancels Tax Rebates
**DECEPTION ALERT: Appears on your ballot with the politicians’ FALSE ballot title of “Increases State’s Rainy Day Fund.”
Prop 2 claims to create a bigger rainy day fund in the state budget, but in reality it creates a new slush fund for politicians to engage in more wasteful spending. Prop 2 eviscerates the current voter-imposed spending limit on state politicians. Worse, it virtually eliminates the requirement that taxpayers receive tax rebates if revenues exceed the spending limit. With Prop 2, politicians get to keep more of your money so they can waste more of your money.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 2
No on Prop 3: Income Tax Increase
**DECEPTION ALERT: Biased title plays up funding for schools and health care without accountability for how the money is spent.
Makes permanent California’s highest-in-the-nation income tax rates at a time when California is losing employers, jobs and taxpayers to other states and seeing lower tax revenues as a result. Worse, Prop 3 does nothing to reform wasteful spending in the programs it purports to fund, so taxpayers will not see better services. This tax was sold as “temporary” in 2012, extended in 2016 and now politicians want to make it permanent before it even expires.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 3
No on Prop 4: Gives Your Tax Dollars to Politicians’ Campaigns
**DECEPTION ALERT: False cost estimate of only a “few hundred thousand dollars each year” when it will cost MILLIONS a year.
Repeals a previously approved ban on public financing of politicians’ campaigns. Voters wisely decided years ago that their tax dollars should never be used to fund the campaigns of politicians, but with Prop 4 the politicians are refusing to take no for an answer. They already tried to sneak this through the legislature in 2016. The courts threw it out and ruled that voters must decide. Ten years later they’re back, hat in hand, asking to spend your tax dollars on their attack ads. Tell them the same thing the courts did: NO.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 4
No on Prop 5: Weakens Citizens’ Right to Recall Politicians from Office
Makes it harder to Recall a politician from office and simultaneously replace them with a candidate of the voters’ choosing. Under Prop 5, if the voters recall the Governor, you don’t get to choose the replacement — the office is automatically handed to the political machine’s second-in-command. The decision will be entirely out of the voters’ control.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 5
No on Prop 37: Borrows $25 Billion for Costly Housing Projects
Provides taxpayer-funded subsidies to developers without reforming costly mandates that make housing so expensive. Worse, Prop 37 makes the State of California one of the biggest mortgage lenders in America overnight – and taxpayers are left holding the bag for any losses. Many of the boondoggle projects supported by this bond will cost more than $1M per unit! Campaign contributors to politicians also get special contracts under Prop 37.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 37
Yes on Prop 38: Public-Private Partnership Bonds for Immunology Research
Authorizes $8 billion in bonds to support immunology research with the repayment coming from proceeds of cures and treatments. This is the only bond on the ballot that puts the strings on the government instead of the taxpayer. Every drug and treatment developed with this funding must be sold in California at 20% BELOW the national average price. Half of the research money is required by law to target cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 38
Yes on Prop 39: Voter ID to Improve Trust in Elections
**DECEPTION ALERT: Appears on your ballot with the politicians’ FALSE ballot title of “Prohibits Citizens From Voting.”
Prop 39 is a bipartisan solution for Voter ID! That’s why it is supported by large majorities of Democratic, Republican and Independent voters. Prop 39 requires cleaning up and auditing of voter rolls and citizenship verification of anyone registering to vote. It keeps voting simple while adding integrity reforms to make voting more secure. The politicians falsely claim Prop 39 prohibits citizens from voting when it will only prevent non-citizens and ineligible individuals from voting. Prop 39 protects the right of every citizen to vote and restores public trust and confidence in our elections.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 39
No on Prop 40: “Billionaire” Tax that Is Really an “Everybody” Tax
Prop 40 is deceptively being sold as the "Billionaire's Tax" but it is really the "Everybody Tax!" Worse, Prop 40 creates the first-in-the-nation Wealth Tax (or Savings Tax) on Californians. Prop 40 contains a provision allowing state politicians to expand the Wealth Tax to everyone without another vote of the public. Prop 40 allows government to tax the value of your savings, checking account, 401k, stock portfolio, and current equity in your home. If you don't have the cash to pay the Wealth Tax, then you'd be forced to sell some of what you own.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 40
Yes on Prop 41: Audit Special Taxes
Prop 41 would make it harder for state and local politicians to impose special taxes on you. Prop 41 requires that all special taxes include audits on all revenues raised and programs funded through the tax to prevent waste, fraud and abuse or diversion of the funds by politicians. Prop 41 also requires that these special taxes adhere to the state's constitutionally-mandated spending limit. Under California law, when two conflicting measures pass, the one with more votes wins. Even if Prop 40 passes, a bigger yes on Prop 41 cancels it.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 41
Yes on Prop 42: Stop the Savings Tax
Prop 42 would prohibit state and local politicians from imposing a Savings Tax on Californians. Prop 42 would prohibit politicians from taxing the value of your savings, checking account, 401k, stock portfolio, and current equity in your home. We already pay the highest taxes on income, sales, property, gas and our cars— we don't need a Savings Tax on top of all that! If Prop 42 gets more votes than Prop 40, the Wealth Tax dies even if it passes. Every YES on 42 is a second NO on 40.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 42
Yes on Prop 43: Local Taxpayer Protection Initiative (Saves Prop 13)
**DECEPTION ALERT: Appears on your ballot with the FALSE title of “Limits Voters Ability to Raise Revenues for Local Government Services.”
Prop 43 is known as the Save Prop 13— Local Taxpayer Protection Initiative. Prop 43 makes it harder for local politicians to raise your taxes by restoring the two-thirds vote requirement on any local tax measures. It also closes loopholes the politicians have created in Prop 13 to violate the property tax caps that voters originally imposed. Opponents of Prop 43 simply want more of your money to fund their waste and fraud. Vote Yes on Prop 43 to turn the tide to make California more affordable.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 43
No on Prop 44: Imposes Costly Mandates on Community Health Clinics
Increases mandates and costs on community health clinics, threatening their ability to provide patient care. Clinics that miss the arbitrary 90% mandate pay penalties into a government account and hotwired to a narrow special interest group who is one of the politicians’ biggest campaign contributors. Trusted healthcare experts warn that Prop 44 would trigger $1.7 billion in penalties in the first year alone and force clinics across California to close their doors.
>> Watch Short Video Explaining Prop 44
Yes on Prop 45: Reduce Housing Costs by Cutting Red Tape
Reduces regulation and combats frivolous lawsuits that have increased the cost of housing projects. California’s environmental review law (CEQA) has been weaponized to block and delay housing, adding years and millions of dollars to every project. Prop 45 is the first time voters have ever been handed the chance to reform CEQA at the ballot box.
Measure A (NO)
Extends Term Limits for Current Politicians
Being falsely sold as an ethics measure, all this does is repeal voter-imposed term limits on county politicians and give current politicians in office all an extra term!
Measure B (NO)
San Diego County Sales Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly sales tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure C (NO)
City of Solana Beach TOT
Imposes a new costly Business tax despite that will destroy jobs to simply support more massive levels of wasteful spending by the city.
Measure D (NO)
City of Coronado Increase Height of Mutli-Family Developments
Weakens Coronado’s coastal height protections by allowing multifamily developments in R-4 zones to rise from three stories and 35 feet to four stories and 42 feet.
Measure E (NO)
Lemon Grove Retail Bird Sale Ban
Bans a lawful local business from selling a lawful product, pushing buyers toward unsupervised online sellers while doing nothing whatsoever about the out-of-state breeding operations the ordinance claims to target.
Measure G (NO)
Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Property Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly property tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure H (NO)
Jamul-Dulzura Union School District Property Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly property tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure J (NO)
Julian Union High School District Property Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly property tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure K (NO)
Fallbrook Union Elementary School District Property Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly property tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure L (NEUTRAL)
Mountain Empire Unified School District Property Tax Increase
Addresses genuine health and safety hazards in a small rural school district by repairing deteriorating classrooms that fail building and earthquake-safety standards, removing asbestos, lead pipes and mold, and replacing failing roofs, plumbing, sewer and electrical systems. Funds are locally controlled, barred from administrator salaries, subject to independent audits and oversight, and can help this underserved rural community qualify for state matching funds.
Measure M (NO)
San Diego Unified School District Property Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly property tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure N (NO)
Vista Unified School District Property Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly property tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure P (YES)
Ramona Municipal Water District Modernization of Project Approval Rules
Currently voters have to approve any contract or project $1 million or more. This measure would adjust that outdated amount to $10 million and achieve cost efficiencies.
Measure Q (NO)
Harris Annex PRD Zone NO. 9B Property Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly property tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure R (NO)
City of Oceanside Forces PLA Mandates on Contractors
Writes union-only project labor agreements and prevailing wage mandates permanently into Oceanside's charter, shutting out roughly four in five California construction workers and raising the cost of every city project.
Measure S (NO)
CIty of Oceanside Sales Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly sales tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure T (NO)
Pala Mesa Zone A PRD Zone 13A Property Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly property tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure Y (NO)
City of Santee Sales Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly sales tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure AA (NO)
La Mesa-Spring Valley School District Property Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly property tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Measure BB (NO)
Santee School District Property Tax Increase
Imposes a new costly property tax despite massive levels of wasteful spending, giving government workers massive salary hikes and pension spikes, and awarding contracts to political supporters without fair and open competition.
Governor: Steve Hilton
Lt. Governor: Gloria Romero
Attorney General: Michael Gates
Secretary of State: Don Wagner
Treasurer: Jennifer Hawks
Controller: Herb Morgan
Insurance Commissioner: You're Doomed
Superintendent of Public Instruction: Sonja Shaw
Board of Equalization: Denis Bilodeau
Kristie Bruce Lane serves as San Diego County Co-Chair for the CA Voter ID Initiative campaign. Kristie's top priority is reducing the cost of living - that's why she has signed the NO tax hikes pledge and has led the fight to block several costly local utility rate hikes. A proven fighter who will take on the Sacramento Swamp!
Rebecca Jones helped lead the fight to defeat the costly San Diego County Mileage Tax in 2023 - saving the average driver $900 a year. She signed the NO tax hikes pledge and commits to hold the county Registrar of Voters accountable to fully implement the CA Voter ID Initiative when it passes this November.
District 48: Jim Desmond
District 49: You are Doomed
District 50: Steve Cohen
District 51: Ricardo Cabrero
District 52: No Endorsement
Senate
District 18: Art Hodges
District 32: Kelly Seyarto
District 38: Laura Bassett
District 40: Kristie Bruce Lane
Assembly
District 74: Laurie Davies
District 75: Carl DeMaio
District 76: Carrie Espinoza Villanueva
District 77: Trinity Hannaway
District 78: Payton Galvez
District 79: Andrew Lawson
District 80: Alex Galicia
County Board of Supervisors
District 4: Kristine Alessio
District 5: Rebecca Jones
County Treasurer
Shirley Nakawatase
County Clerk
No Endorsement
County Board of Education
District 3: Cory Brown
District 5: Bianca Ragonesi-Lasche
Carlsbad
Mayor: Keith Blackburn
Council District 1: Melanie Burkholder
Council District 3: You are Doomed
City Clerk: Sherry Freisinger
City Treasurer: No Endorsement
Chula Vista
Mayor: John McCann
Council District 1: Greg Martinez
Council District 2: Angelica Martinez
Coronado
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
Council (At-Large): Ricky Hoyt
Council (At-Large): Kelly Purvis
Del Mar
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
Council (At-Large): Jeffrey Sturgis
El Cajon
Mayor: Bill Wells
Council District 1: Chuck Kaye
Encinitas
Council District 3: You are Doomed
Council District 4: Marco San Antonio
Escondido
Mayor: Dane White
Council District 1: Tanner Horsley
Council District 2: Joe Garcia
Imperial Beach
Mayor: Least bad option is Marcus Bush
Council District 1: Steve Berry
Council District 3: Mariko Nakawatase
La Mesa
Mayor: Laura Lothian
Council (At-Large): You are Doomed
City Treasurer: Bill Exeter
Lemon Grove
Council (At-Large): You are Doomed
National City
Mayor: You are Doomed
Council District 1: You are Doomed
Council District 3: You are Doomed
Oceanside
Council District 1: Michael Cline
Council District 2: Richard (Rick) Robinson
Poway
Mayor: Steve Vaus
Council District 1: Chris Pikus
Council District 3: Peter De Hoff
San Diego
Council District 2: Richard Bailey
Council District 6: Mark Powell
Council District 8: You are Doomed
San Marcos
Mayor: Mike Sanella
Council District 1: Thomas Gabriele
Council District 2: Lindsey Smith
Santee
Council District 1: You are Doomed
Council District 2: Ronn Hall
Solana Beach
Council District 2: You are Doomed
Council District 4: You are Doomed
Vista
Mayor: Joe Green
Council District 1: Frank Nunez
Council District 4: You are Doomed
Alpine Union School District
Trustee At-Large: Eric Wray
Trustee At-Large: Glenn Dickie
Trustee At-Large: Angela May
Bonsall Unified School District
Trustee Area A: You are Doomed
Trustee Area B: Michael Gaddis
Trustee Area D: Roger Merchat
Borrego Springs Unified School District
Trustee At-Large: You are Doomed
Cajon Valley Union School District
Trustee Area 1: Anthony Carnevale
Trustee Area 2: Dana Covell
Trustee Area 3: Lily Emily Schworm
Cardiff School District
Trustee At-Large: You are Doomed
Carlsbad Unified School District
Trustee Area 1: Amber Martinez
Trustee Area 4: Gretchen Vurbeff
Trustee Area 5: Joel Gutierrez
Chula Vista Elementary School District
Trustee Seat 1: Jorge Balvaneda
Trustee Seat 3: Norma Toothman
Trustee Seat 5: Delia Dominguez Cervantes
Coronado Unified School District
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
Trustee At-Large: Kaye Schneider
Dehesa School District
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
Trustee At-Large: Paul Healy
Del Mar Union School District
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
Trustee At-Large: Stephen Cochrane
Encinitas Union School District
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
Trustee At-Large: Michelle Clark
Escondido Union High School District
Trustee Area 1: Bob Weller
Trustee Area 2: Joe Hinrichs
Trustee Area 5: David Vincent
Escondido Union School District
Trustee Area 2: Christopher Ranglas
Trustee Area 4: Zesty Harper
Trustee Area 5: Frank Huston
Fallbrook Union Elementary School District
Trustee Area 4: Maria Moran
Trustee Area 5: Mary McBride
Fallbrook Union High School District
Trustee Area 1: You are Doomed
Trustee Area 2: Paul Christensen
Trustee Area 3: You are Doomed
Grossmont College
District 5: Rosangela Cribbs
Grossmont Union High School District
Trustee Area 3: Dr. Gary Woods
Trustee Area 4: Chrissy McCullough
Trustee Area 5: Jim Kelly
Julian Union High School District
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
Trustee At-Large: Katy Moretti
Trustee At-Large: Nori Chandler
Julian Union School District
Trustee At-Large: You are Doomed
La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
Trustee Area 1: You are Doomed
Trustee Area 2: Myriam Moody
Trustee Area 3: You are Doomed
Lemon Grove School District
Trustee (Short-Term): You are Doomed
Trustee At-Large: You are Doomed
MiraCosta Community College District
Area 1: You are Doomed
Area 2: You are Doomed
Area 6: You are Doomed
Area 7: You are Doomed
National School District
Trustee Area B: You are Doomed
Trustee Area C: You are Doomed
Trustee Area E: You are Doomed
Oceanside Unified School District
Trustee Area 1: You are Doomed
Trustee Area 3: No Endorsement
Trustee Area 4: Jason Bethurum
Palomar College
Area 1: Anthony Wiley
Area 5: Michelle Moore
Poway Unified School District
Trustee Area B: Brett Davis
Trustee Area C: Jason Bennett
Trustee Area D: Daniela Darling
Ramona Unified School District
Trustee Area 1: Maya Phillips
Trustee Area 2: No Endorsement
Trustee Area 5: No Endorsement
Rancho Santa Fe School District
Trustee At-Large: Jee Manghani
Trustee At-Large: Bow Ruggeri
San Diego Community College District
District A: You are Doomed
District C: Sam Ely
San Diego Unified School District
Trustee District B: You are Doomed
Trustee District C: You are Doomed
San Dieguito Union High School District
Trustee Area 1: You are Doomed
Trustee Area 3: Summer Boger
Trustee Area 5: You are Doomed
San Marcos Unified School District
Trustee Area C: You are Doomed
Trustee Area E: Derrick Davis
San Ysidro School District
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
Trustee At-Large: Mike Ochoa
Trustee At-Large: Brandon Plascencia
Santee School District
Trustee Seat 1: Cindy Petretta
Trustee Seat 3: Dustin Burns
Trustee Seat 5: Steven Dobesh
South Bay Union School District
Trustee Area 1: Erika Lowery
Trustee Area 4: Manuel Esparza
Sweetwater Union High School District
Trustee Area 1: You are Doomed
Trustee Area 3: You are Doomed
Trustee Area 5: You are Doomed
Vallecitos School District
Trustee Area 4: Michael Darnley
Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District
Trustee Area 2: You are Doomed
Trustee Area 3: You are Doomed
Trustee Area 4: Michael Caputto
Vista Unified School District
Trustee Area 2: You are Doomed
Trustee Area 3: You are Doomed
Warner Unified School District
Trustee At-Large: Jeannean Rombal
Alpine Fire Protection District
At-Large: Baron Willis
Deer Springs Fire Protection District
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
At-Large: James Gordon
Fallbrook Public Utility District
Division 2: Kenneth Endter
Grossmont Healthcare District
Zone 2: Randolph Lenac
Zone 4: Maggie T Watkins
Helix Water District
Division 2: Lawrence Powers
Division 4: Kathleen Hedberg
Lakeside Community Planning Group
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
Sandra Deakins
Ashley Carnevale
North County Fire Protection District
Division 2: Cole Marting
Division 3: Kenneth Munson
Olivenhain Municipal Water
District 1: Ebin Lanfried
District 4: Matthew Hahn
Otay Water District
Division 3: Gary Croucher
Padre Dam Municipal Water District
Division 1: Brian Fordyce
Palomar Health
Division 1: Michael Pacheco
Division 3: You are Doomed
Division 5: John Clark
Division 7: Ian Butler
Rainbow Municipal Water District
Division 3: Greg Irvine
Ramona Community Planning Group
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
Lauren Welty
Dawn Perfect
Robin Maxson
Ramona Municipal Water District
Division 2: Jim Hickle
Rincon Del Diablo Water District
Division 3: Kenneth Hoving
San Miguel Consolidated Fire Protection District
Division 7: You are Doomed
Sweetwater Community Planning Group
At-Large: Craig Allen
At-Large: Daniel Burow
At-Large: Donna Hodge
At-Large: Susan Heavilin
At-Large: Luis De La Rosa
At-Large: Carri Jo Fernandez
At-Large: Lori Noë
Tri-City Healthcare District
Zone 2: Jerome Kern
Valley Center Community Planning Group
Strategic Voting: Only vote for these candidates - leave others blank
James Garritson
Lavonne Norwood
Vlad Ciupitu
Valley Center Fire Protection District
Division 3: John Yeager
Vista Irrigation District
Division 2: You are Doomed
NOTE: If we do not make a recommendation on a candidate or ballot measure, we either could not support the measure or candidates running in that race, or do not have enough information to make an informed recommendation.
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