California voters face 14 statewide measures in November election
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California's November ballot includes proposals on a billionaire wealth tax, affordable housing financing, voter ID requirements and several tax and election reforms.
California voters will decide on 14 statewide initiatives on Nov. 3, covering topics such as taxation, housing, elections and health care. The measures range from a one-time 5% wealth tax on the assets of roughly 200 of the state’s billionaires, with 90% of the revenue earmarked for low-income health services, to an $11.25 billion bond to fund affordable housing and a $25 billion loan program for moderate-income homebuyers. Other proposals include making a high-earner income tax permanent, raising the threshold for local special-tax initiatives, expanding the state’s rainy-day fund, and amending the California Environmental Quality Act to set deadlines for project reviews.
A constitutional amendment would require voters to present government-issued identification at the polls or provide the last four digits of their ID number when voting by mail, while another amendment would allow public financing of state and local political campaigns for the first time since 1988. Additional measures address recall election procedures, clinic funding requirements, and an $8.4 billion bond to support immunology research.
Support and opposition for each initiative are split among labor unions, business groups, political leaders and advocacy organizations. For example, the billionaire tax is backed by the Service Employees International Union and Senator Bernie Sanders, while Governor Gavin Newsom and several prominent tech founders oppose it. The affordable housing bond is supported by Governor Newsom and Democratic lawmakers, with Republican legislators opposing it. Voter ID requirements are championed by Reform California and Republican officials, and opposed by the League of Women Voters and the ACLU.
The ballot reflects recent negotiations in which some high-profile proposals were withdrawn after deals between interest groups and state leaders, finalizing the list of measures for the upcoming election.
