Here are my recommendations. For propositions it's Yes on 1A, 2, 3, 5, 11 and 12. No on all the rest, particularly no on 4. And vote for Kimberly Wicoff for San Francisco School board.
Prop 1A - Yes - High speed rail would be good mass transit. Supported by League of Women Voters, League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club among others. SF Chronicle endorsement.
Prop 2 - Yes - The measure, promoted by the Humane Society, would prohibit the confinement of a farm animal for a majority of the day in a way that prevented it from "lying down, standing up and fully extending his or her limbs" and "turning around freely." http://www.yesonprop2.com/ It's also endorsed by the SJ Merc, Nick Kristof, and the Sierra Club.
Prop 3 - Yes - Hospital bond.
Prop 4 - No - If you are even remotely considering vote yes ont his call me ASAP. This is bad bad bad. http://www.noonprop4.org/
aclunc.org has info on 5 6 9 too.
Prop 5 - Yes - This is one where I think it's harder to make the decision. The measure would allocate $460 million to improve and expand treatment programs for Californians convicted of drug offenses or nonviolent crimes that may be related to an addiction. Good list of endorsments.
Prop 6 - No - One of the reasons that California has a multibillion-dollar structural deficit is that voters keep approving spending mandates without providing a way to pay for them. Prop 6 proposes spending with no revenues to pay for it - forcing cuts in healthcare, schools, fire protection and other vital programs. Our prisons are already overcrowded and the focus should be on prevention. More info.
Prop 7 - No - This is opposed by all the major environmental groups.
Prop 8 - No - They are trying to ban gay marriage.
Prop 9 - No - This would end some early-release programs for non-violent offenders to relieve overcrowding and the fiscal impact on the state would be large in a year we can't afford it.
Prop 10 - No - This is opposed by all the major environmental groups.
Prop 11 - Yes - 99 percent of state legislators and members of Congress were re-elected in the past decade in part because they are able to re-draw their own districts. Prop 11 would end this and take the politics out of redistricting.
Prop 12 - Yes - home loans for veterans
San Francisco School Board - Kimberly Wicoff - She has the endorsements from SF's right (mayor) and left (SF Guardian) plus the current school board chair. And I know her well and she'll be a great school board member.
President - Barack Obama - He's the better candidate on the environment, he's the only pro-choice candidate, and for many other reasons.
United States Representative; District 12 - Jackie Speier
San Francisco Local Measures:
A - Yes
B - No
C - No
D - Yes
E - Yes
F - No
G - Yes
H - Yes
I - No
J - No
K - No
L - Yes
M - No
N - Yes
O - Yes
P - Yes
Q - Yes
R - No
S - Yes
T - Yes
U - No
V - No
San Francisco Judge - Thomas Mellon - His opponent, Sandoval, was rated "not qualified" by the San Francisco Bar Assoc.
