October

27,3,2016
November
2016

Vol.
Vol. 51
51 Issue
Issue No.
No. 67

STUDENT VOTERELECTION
GUIDE
2016

GUIDE TO FEDERAL, STATE

AND LOCAL ELECTIONS

City Council
Page 15

Measure D
Page 15

Senate Race

Page 15

TABLE OF CONTENTS

6
8
10

Athletes Discuss
Locker Room Talk

16

State Ballot
Proposition Guide

19

The Race for

Congress

22

Marijuana
Legalization

23

Measure D:
Highway Widening

26

Editorial: Conditional
Endorsement of
Hillary Clinton

An International
Perspective

SAMANTHA HAMILTON

City Council Press

Conference

One of Donald Trumps signature Make America Great Again hats burns in the street, snatched and set ablaze by
protesters outside the Trump rally in San Jose on June 2 (above). Aya Hilali holds up a sign in front of a line of San Jose
police outside of the rally. Protesters took to the streets and clashed with Trump supporters as they poured out of the
downtown convention center in which the rally was held (below).

STEPHEN DE ROPP

FALL 2016 STAFF

ABOUT CITY ON A HILL PRESS

City on a Hill Press is produced by and for UCSC students. Our primary goal is
to report and analyze issues affecting the student population and the Santa Cruz
community.
We also serve to watchdog the politics of the UC administration. While we
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the presentation of the news. The City on a Hill Press (CHP) collective is dedicated
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CHP is published weekly in the fall, winter and spring quarters by the City on
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The opinions expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of
the staff at large, or the University of California.
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LETTERS
UCSC Press Center
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2 NOVEMBER 3

@cityonahill

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City
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Michael
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fact
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Lindsey Hayes
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Production
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Editors-in-Chief
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COVER
PHOTOILLUSTRATION
BY CASEY AMARAL
AND STEPHEN
DE ROPP

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Its hard to think something as
ubiquitous as the election is
finally coming to a close. While
some have anticipated Nov.
8 for some time, others have
closed their eyes, asking that it
just be over.
We have been in both positions
before. When Bernie Sanders
came to Santa Cruz and our
peers lined the block to see him
speak, we were proud to be Americans. But when Donald Trump dismissed
sexual assault allegations as locker room talk, we cringed and hoped that it
was just a bad dream.
Each day we are reminded that media needs to be different, and that it is up to
us to be part of that change. But next to media makers, we are students, young
people and the smallest group of voters each season.
Currently, Donald Trump is polling ahead of Hillary Clinton in some polls. If
this trend continues, we dont only fear for our futures as students but also for
our future as journalists.
In mid-June, Donald Trump blacklisted major publications like The Washington
Post calling them unfair and biased. In his first acts as a presidential
candidate, he excluded Jorge Ramos from a press conference, setting a
precedent of disdain for those he disagrees with.
He claimed to speak for the American people, voicing their anger with the
medias fixing of the election. And we sincerely hope that it wont be media
fixing the election. We hope that itll be young people.
Trump wont win if we show up to the voting booths on Tuesday and demand
that he doesnt. We have the ability to demand better.
The decisions we make on Tuesday will affect our lives far longer than this
presidential term. We have made so much progress in the last few elections.
Dont let this one set us back. We have a voice its our responsibility to use it.
Connor Jang and Georgia Johnson
Co-Editors-in-Chief
editors@cityonahillpress.com

GOT A NOSE FOR NEWS?

JOIN CHP!
APPLY BY NOV. 17 TO
CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM/APPLY

WE ASKED YOU!
Do you feel like your vote matters?
Why or why not?
Compiled by CAMERON TURNER
Photos by CASEY AMARAL

I think it matters. We all have a right

to vote even if you dont want to vote for
president. There are measures out there
to vote for. Because Im considering not
voting for president, I dont like either of the
candidates, I definitely think its important
to get your voice heard. You know its a
democracy, and the people cant run it if
they cant get their voice heard.
Shawn Dirocco
Mathematics
Fourth-year, Stevenson College

On the bigger scale as in the presidential

election it doesnt really matter as much,
considering we live in California, and were a
democratic state. But my vote in my county
counts a lot for city officials and that sort of
thing. So thats why Im voting.
Denise Curiel
Computational mathematics
Fourth-year, Porter College

I would say both yes and no. Yes in

the sense that I guess everybody has to
contribute in order for there to be some
major effect and no in the sense that an
individual vote is just an individual vote and
thats pretty much it, and on its own its got
no value. But its really in a collective that it
can actually mean something.
Gilbert Tam
Psychology
Third-year, Rachel Carson College

Definitely. I feel like everyones vote

matters. A lot of people think, Its one single
vote. Its not going to make a difference in
the big run, but I think that theyre wrong
and the more people vote the more points
they have so it accumulates. Its a group
effort. Its not an individualistic thing.
Jennifer Nguyen
Psychology
Third-year, Crown College

I definitely feel like it matters probably

more this year than any year because I just
really dont like Donald Trump, but it seems
like he has a decent chance.
Adina Katz
Mathematics
Third-year, Porter College

We are looking for reporters, layout designers, illustrators, and

photographers. Requires enrollment in a 2 or 5-unit course.

CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 3

POLITICAL CARTOONS

Drawing New Insights

Bay Area artists speak to the power of art in politics

BY JOSEPHINE BUCHANAN
At 16 years old, artist Tim Eagan drew his first
political cartoon during the presidential race
between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy.
Eagan placed a comic mocking Nixon in the
window in his conservative neighborhood.
On election night, Eagans house was egged,
and from then on, he realized the power of
political art.
The emphasis on the words and credibility in
election cycles drive political artists to produce
social commentary through visual perspectives.
It gives a snapshot to how people feel. You
can go back in time, said political artist John
Mavroudis.Theres something really visceral
about seeing an image, and that will stay with
you long after words fail your memory.
Tim Eagans political cartoons have been a
voice in Santa Cruz for 40 years. Eagan began
working for the Santa Cruz Independent, a local
publication, during the 1976 election. This was
an important election for Eagan and other local
progressives. There was a conservative majority
on the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors, but
after the election, Santa Cruz began shifting to
the left.
I always imagined we were part of [the
shift], Eagan said. But who could say?
Today the increase of digital technology has
allowed artists to explore politics and activism
beyond editorial cartoons.
Artist and UC Santa Cruz professor Dee
Hibbert-Jones was nominated for an Academy
Award for her animated short film Last Day of

4 NOVEMBER 3

Political art depicts topics such as the U.S. presidential election, racial profiling and
inner-party relations.
Freedom, which focuses on the topics of race,
mass incarceration and mental illness.
Hibbert-Jones said it was important to
portray the complexity of people and politics
in her work. Her style reflects the feelings,
experiences and circumstances of her
characters.
Balance for us is between empathy, pain
and serious issues, Jones said in an email.
We use humor less, although I think there is a

gallows humor in troubling subjects.

Fellow political artist John Mavroudis also
strays from using humor in his art and instead
incorporates the old with the new.
His 2009 cover for The Nation shows
President Barack Obama, surrounded by civil
rights activists of the past, being sworn in.
Mavroudis most recent print of Donald
Trump quickly went viral when actor Jesse Tyler
Ferguson of ABCs Modern Family posted
a photo of it. The portrait of the presidential
candidate is entirely composed of words that
came to Mavroudis mind when he thought
about Trump words like violent, bully and
thin-skinned.
I got to thinking about imagery that
would take a stance, so I wouldnt have to keep
repeating myself all the time, Mavroudis said.
I thought, why not make a large portrait of him
just made up of the words that come to mind?
This for me was a defining image of him.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY TIM EAGAN

ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN MAVROUDIS

The Power in Political Satire

Deepening the Discussion

Artist Tim Eagan spoke of the power of

humor to take down peoples guards and open
them up to an idea. He noted that looking at a
political cartoon engages people quicker than
reading a news article.
Its not just about making jokes or mocking
somebodys hairdo and the size of their hands,
Eagan said. Its about trying to make the world
a better place.
It wasnt until later into the election that
Eagan realized, portraying a subject through
artwork may also mean giving them free press
despite being a subject of satire.
Eagan has chosen not to draw Trump, and
he expresses his distaste for him by actively
eliminating him from his art.
I stopped drawing Donald Trump back
in May because I was tired of feeding into his
ego, Eagan said. I was trying to make Donald
Trump as ugly as I possibly could, and finally
I thought, What does that do? How is that
helping things?

To Eagan and other political artists, the use

of art to express ideas and humanize candidates
is vital in sharing opinion.
Though different in medium, style and
sometimes subject choice, the artists agree
there is a foundational need for political art.
Its important to bring [politicians] down to
being what they are, Eagan said. Theyre just
humans. Making them look foolish is helpful.
Like Eagan, UCSC art department chair
and activist Jennifer Parker aims to get people
thinking critically through art. Her work is
focused on an intersection of art and science
through mixed media.
Parker said political art deepens the
discussion surrounding politics and adds
another form of media into the mix of
contributions
from
photographers
and
journalists.
It can be more than just a beautiful piece,
Parker said. Art can try and say something to
get people and get them thinking different.

PHOTOJOURNALISM

Starting Small
BY KELSEY TAYLOR
Matt Herron walked backwards
for 15 miles, threw himself in ditches,
created fake press passes and spoke
in a southern accent to document
the Selma to Montgomery marches,
which led to the Voting Rights Act of
1965. While walking with thousands
over the course of 18 days and 54
miles, Herron captured the protesters
stories with a 35mm film camera and
his photos making the front page of
magazines like Time and Life.
At the Porter College Faculty
Gallery on Oct. 27th, history of art and
visual culture professor at UC Santa
Cruz Martin Berger led a Q&A with
Matt Herron, a white photojournalist
and activist who documented the
civil rights movement in the South.
It took place in the middle of
Herrons exhibition, Im Walkin for
My Freedom, which consists of black
and white film photos of the Selma to
Montgomery marches.
The three marches began in
Selma and ended at the courthouse
in the state capital, Montgomery,
where 25,000 participants gathered
and successfully dismantled unfair
obstacles like literacy tests, which
barred black citizens from voting
throughout the 20th century.
The walk was dangerous
demonstrators were beaten by police,
and photojournalists were hated for
their work. Officers beat Herron with
a club.
African Americans that were
offering protection to Matt were
offering protection to a white
stranger, Berger said. They were
willing to risk their lives for a total
stranger.

overriding concern has always been

educating newer audiences about the
civil rights struggle.
Gallery volunteer and audience
member Natalie Ortiz described the
exhibits ability to remind audiences
of this very recent and immense
struggle for a group to obtain the right
to vote.
Its really important that we
remember this, especially during this
election year, Ortiz said. It would
be a great injustice to all these Selma
marchers if you didnt vote.
Despite the long-term efforts,
Ortiz said she valued the act of
protesting for basic rights like
participants of Selma to Montgomery
because its imperative for the
greater good.
When Herron moved to the South
as a photojournalist, he founded the
Southern Documentary project and
photographed the efforts of social
change with a team of five people.
Herron explained the close knit
family culture and strong values of
black individuals who were a part of
the movement.
The strategy of civil rights had
been, if we can show the North what
is happening, they can pressure the
government and can force change
Herron said. This idea that this
group of radical black and white
people had formed a shadow party
[...] that became a moment of truth
for the civil rights movement.
Herron
documented
the
movement as a freelancer, meaning
his projects were ones he developed
himself. He captured a raw, unpolished
depiction of the movement. Figures
like Dorthea Lange, known for her

YIN WU

Matt Herrons Im Walkin for My Freedom exhibit captures Selma to

Montgomery marches

Matt Herron
explains the
context and
stories behind
his photos.
the courage to do that, Herron said
of Samuel Newhall. It had to come
from some deep well of frustration
and wrong. That was what drove the
movement kids like that and that
kind of passion.
He explained that although

the Occupy Wall Street movement

was impactful, it could have been
more successful like the civil rights
movements if the participants
had gone into communities and
organized beyond just setting up
tents in city centers.

There is the fertile ground in this

country for a new movement. I dont
know where or when [...] I dont know
what form it will take or whether it
will occur, but I think its coming,
Herron said. I hope you have your
ears perked up for it.

Its really important that we remember

this, especially during this election year.
It would be a great injustice to all these
Selma marchers if you didnt vote.
Natalie Ortiz, gallery volunteer
While
other
photographers
wanted to be right there with their
cameras to capture prominent
activists like Martin Luther King Jr.
and to make it in the print, Herron
said he didnt just document the
movement to further his career but
felt it was something he needed to
do getting the names and stories
of his subjects, revisiting them years
later and painting a before and after
picture of where the activism ended.
Hes never conceived the photos
he shot in the 60s as income. He sees
them as documenting a moment in
American history, Berger said. His

photojournalism of the depression

era, mentored Herron. He was
inspired by Langes respect for the
people and her interest in their lives.
Two photos showed Doris
Wilson, a 20 years old woman who
lost her job for participating in the
demonstration, marching without
shoes. Another photo showed
Samuel Newhall, an 8 years old
boy, continuing to demonstrate
alone in front of the Dallas County
Courthouse, despite knowing he
would be arrested as a line of police
officers approached.
I cannot imagine where he got

CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 5

WE ASKED YOU!

What do you think about Donald

Trumps dismissal of his sexual assault
allegations as locker room talk? What,
in your mind, is locker room talk?

Compiled by BENJAMIN KLEVEN

AND JASPER LYONS
Photos by CASEY AMARAL

Its ridiculous that hes trying to make an excuse, or

even just demean athletes like that, as if thats just a
normal thing that athletes participate in. The athletic
response, as a nominee, I think thats really twofaced of him to say that its okay in context.
Locker room talk is conversation that happens in a
locker room. Thats the only real context that you
can give it. I dont think its a space where you can
demean other people, or [that] saying something in
the location of a locker room gives you the right to
say whatever you want.

Sean Hollister
Fourth-year
Cognitive science,
Kresge College
Mens tennis

Selena Olivera
Fourth-year
Earth sciences, Crown
College
Womens soccer

Its a pathetic excuse. I dont think a locker room

is a place where people are necessarily abusive. Its
a place where people come together. Teammates
pumping each other up before a game [...] Its almost
always related to sports. Before practice youll talk
about professional sports. Even LeBron James said
in his locker room theyd always talk about what
happened the night before in a different basketball
game or something like that.
Sarthak Saxena
First-year
Biology, Cowell College
Mens tennis

Thats not any type of conversation that should

be had in a locker room. Ive played sports all my
life. Ive never talked about that kind of stuff in a
locker room. Saying its locker room talk is not an
appropriate excuse, [he] shouldnt have said that
stuff in the first place.
Half the time I dont even talk in the locker room.
When youre in a locker room, before a game or
something, youre focused. Youre talking about the
game, talking about strategy. Youre maybe messing
around with your boys a little bit. Youre messing
around with each other more so than talking horribly
about entire genders, and then, after the game,
youre talking about all the sick plays that you made,
all the cool things that happened in the game.

Im not a fan of it. I dont think its okay to speak

about women in that way regardless of where it is.
Its not so much that he was doing it behind closed
doors. Its that what he was saying was extremely
derogatory towards women, and he was claiming that
going forward with sexual wills without a womans
consent [is okay], which is really troubling.
Locker room talk, for women at least, would be
supporting each other, lifting each other up, getting
each other ready to play a game, and locker room
talk is more positive. And I dont think that Donald
Trumps ideas of locker room talk should ever be
associated with any locker room.

6 NOVEMBER 3

Diego Camarillo
Second-year
Applied physics, Cowell
College
Club lacrosse

Rikki Porter
Fourth-year
Film production, Porter
College
Womens soccer

I think its absurd. Theres been professional athletes

who comment that thats nowhere near any locker
room talk theyve ever had, especially the female
athletes. They think its nowhere near OK for him to
be saying stuff like that, so Im very offended.
You see in the movies its like, guys being guys, but
to this extent, what he thinks is locker room talk is
not locker room talk at all. I feel like [locker room talk
is] just more guys saying, Oh, you see that girl, all
that stuff, but nothing like where he went to. I guess
I cant know specifically because Im not in a male
locker room.

I dont think anyone actually speaks like that in a

locker room. Thats fucking rape culture talk, not
locker room talk. Locker room talk its anything
but sexual assault essentially. I dont think he meant
it in an athletics way. I think he meant it like guys
being guys way, which is even worse in my opinion. If
youre going from a purely literal, athletic standpoint,
its talking about the game or something. Its not
Hey, look at all these women that I totally sexually
assaulted, isnt that dope?

Luke Sampiere
Third-year
Human biology, Cowell College
Surfing club

Dalia Granados
Fourth-year
Psychology, College Ten
Womens swim

Ron DuBois
NCAA mens
basketball coach

Its something that our society doesnt take seriously,

which is really important. This is not just a womans
issue, its a human issue that should be addressed,
and the fact that we dismiss it just like that is really
ridiculous to me. The trauma that comes from sexual
assault is something thats really hard to overcome.
Especially coming from a psychological background,
Ive taken courses, and [...] its pretty intense. I
think that its dumb, and we should address it more
seriously.
In the locker room we just talk about random stuff,
for example, that set was hard, what are you going
to go eat after this, Im gonna go take a nap, I have a
big essay to go write, its normal conversation.

Not for me to get into my personal politics, but

I dont think thats appropriate. I think anything,
especially as a presidential candidate, that you say
means a lot. I dont think thats appropriate for any
space, any walk of life, let alone the locker room. Ive
been in a ton of locker rooms thats not how people
talk about women. Thats such a poor depiction of
locker rooms and obviously you can think of athletes,
but even if I go to workout at 24-Hour Fitness
and someone says that in the locker room, thats
totally inappropriate there. Its totally inappropriate
anywhere.

The Voices of the Voteless

DREAMERS

What the presidential election means for undocumented students

BY CAMERON TURNER
*Last names have been witheld to protect the
sources identities.
Over an estimated 100 million voters will
head to the polls to cast their votes, but the 11
million undocumented people in the U.S. wont
have that chance.
Since I dont have the right to vote, I cannot
voice my opinion or the concerns that I have,
said UC Santa Cruz student Carlos*, who is
undocumented. So it puts me in a position
where Im struggling with whats going to
happen.
Presidential candidates, Democrat Hillary
Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, have
divisive stances on immigration policy.
Knowing that one [candidate] supports
immigration more than the other is kind of
scary, said Bryan*, a UCSC student who is also
undocumented. Its a frightening situation for
me and some of my family members.
Bryan moved from Mexico to San Jose with
his family when he was four years old and
qualified for financial aid via the California
Dream Act as a first generation college student.
The
California
Dream
Act
grants nation of immigrants, and we treat those who
students, who immigrated under the age
come to our country with dignity and respect
of 16 without a visa, access to financial aid
[...] We embrace immigrants, not denigrate
benefits for universities. Candidates dispute
them.
over DREAMers, the term to describe the
With drastic changes to immigration policy
undocumented students.
being proposed by both candidates, the future
Whats on the line in the election is the
for undocumented students and the Dream Act
ability of undocumented students at UCSC just are at risk.
to be here and to be able to support themselves
Trumps immigration stance causes concern
so that they can succeed here, said Pablo
for immigrants in the U.S., beyond the workings
Reguerin, assistant vice provost for student
of the Dream Act. Even more serious, Trump has
success, who works with undocumented
said on his first day in office he would deport
student organizations. There are grave every criminal illegal immigrant.
consequences in the election the stakes are
In contrast to Trumps drastic plan on
very high.
immigration, Clinton has proposed her own
In an election with a strong rhetoric on
with DREAMers in mind.
immigration, undocumented people in the U.S.
As a senator I was proud to co-sponsor
could face major changes due to the outcome
the national DREAM Act and to vote for it,
of the election. Donald Trumps policies on
said Clinton in a campaign speech in 2014.
deportation
and
Im a strong supporter
immigration
could
of
comprehensive
replace
what
he
immigration reform, and I
considers
to
be
believe that we have to fix
non-enforcement
our broken immigration
policies
put
in
system. We have to keep
place by President
families together.
Barack
Obamas
Clinton
plans
to
administration.
close family and private
But
Obamas
immigration
detention
administration
has
centers.
For
the
deported significantly
undocumented students
more people from the
and children this may give
U.S. than any other
their parents a way to stay
president, ABC News
in the U.S.
reported.
While the Dream Act
Trumps plan is
is a state law, immigration
Pablo Reguerin, assistant vice is a federal issue. The next
to curb immigrants
provost for student success
coming
into
the
presidents immigration
country and to first
policy will determine the
prioritize those with
future of the Dream Act.
documentation.
Undocumented students like UCSC student
This action would be especially felt in Bryan are left in a bind, unsure about whether
Santa Cruz. Last year, Immigration and or not they can continue with their education
Custom Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted
or live in the country where they spent most of
raids arresting five undocumented people
their lives.
in Watsonville and two in Capitola. Trumps
Its not for sure whether or not the
proposed plan would triple U.S. ICE officers and
next president will support undocumented
increase deportations nationwide, according to
students, Bryan said. That leaves the
The New York Times.
underlying question of whether or not we will
According to Clintons campaign, we are a have an education in the following years to

ANNA MCGREW

come.
Even though undocumented students
cannot vote, they can have an impact in another
way, UCSC student Carlos said. Undocumented
students can use activism or volunteer with
campaigns as a platform to teach voters the
potential consequences of immigration
There are undocumented students or other

people who are undocumented,

but theyre not bystanders, Carlos said. They
try to put their voice out, they try to campaign,
they try to do protests, they try to make people
aware of whats going on.

Whats on the line

in the election is the
ability of undocumented
students at UCSC just to
be here and to be able
to support themselves so
that they can succeed
here.

CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 7

A Different
Perspective

What this election looks like

from the outside

DAGMAR KUTA

The world has been watching the U.S. leading up

to the presidential election and the outcome will
have impacts beyond just our borders. UC Santa
Cruz students from Asia, Europe and the Americas
gave their international perspective on how they
and others in their home countries view the U.S.
presidential election.

BY SHINAE LEE
Anything you want to say about elections or politics?

What is most surprising to you about the U.S. presidential

elections and the conversation surrounding them?

Teenagers like us actually have the enthusiasm to rely on the

presidential election. Its very different from Korea, because
in Korea only the older people try to be interested in politics,
and the younger generation doesnt care about voting because
they are not educated to. They dont think its a responsibility
to vote.

James Kim, South Korea

Computer science
Second-year, Porter College

Allen Wang, China

Politics
Third-year, College Ten

Hanna Dohle, Netherlands

Politics
Third-year, College Ten

8 NOVEMBER 3

Do you see young people in Korea complaining about the

government?
They do, but thats why some of the younger generations
are kind of ignorant because they dont vote, and then they
complain about the government. And they didnt do anything
when [they] had a choice to vote for the one [they] like.

Eduardo Hirata, Mexico

Bioengineering
Third-year, Crown College

Theyre kind of tough because its just based on the two

biggest parties in the U.S., so you got the Republicans and the
Democrats [...] I cant vote here, but I wish I could have heard
more about the other candidates that are running the
Libertarian or the Green Party because [the media doesnt]
really [give] them free space on the TV. Its all Clinton versus
Trump basically. Most of the people I think theyre going to
be voting for either Clinton or Trump because they dont like
the other candidate, and they dont have the opportunity of
choosing others. And maybe they are not their top choice, but
theyre going to have to go for that.

Anything you want to say about elections or politics?

Do you have any advice for American students voting in the

upcoming elections?

You can ask yourself, how can a perfect democracy end up with
these two inappropriate candidates? There must be something
wrong in the system, so I guess like all the other political systems
in the world. Perhaps American democracy also has room to
improve itself. There has never been and will never be a perfect
system that works forever. Every system needs to amend itself
and improve itself according to the time and the conditions,
and I think the awkward situation that American voters are
facing right now is a reminder of that.

Please, dont vote Trump. The declarations that he makes are

not very polite to say the least. Very self centered. Its almost
as if he wants to be the president just because he can, and
hes rich and all that. And he doesnt seem to have a true
program. Also, hes said hes against J-1 visa, which is the kind
that allows international students and thats worrying. Also,
the generalizations he makes about foreigners are insulting.
Daniel Alves, Brazil
Computer engineering
Graduate student

Do you think the presidential election here will affect you in

your home country?

What is most surprising to you about the U.S. presidential

elections and the conversation surrounding them?

I have talked about it a lot actually in the last few days

because, especially in the media, its been said the whole
world is depending on us, because they call the president
of the United States the leader of the free world, in the
United States only. I think that we, if Trump for example will
become president, we will be affected by it because he will
ruin diplomatic relationships with a lot of countries. But I
do think we will not be affected as much as most Americans
think because we have our, even though we have our own
problems, we do have our own economy, our own. We will
survive. I mean, it will be far worse for you.

Im amazed to what extent theres support for some of

the things that are being voiced, like just the amount of
very bigoted things that Trump says that actually still gets
support. Like in the last debate, things he said, Im not even
talking about the things hes said about women in his spare
time, but things he includes in his policy about women, like
talking about abortion, talking about deporting immigrants
that have such a huge basis for support. I study in the
Sophie Silverstien, Switzerland Netherlands right now, and we have right-wing people,
Feminist studies
and we have people who chant chorus to get Moroccans
Third-year, College Ten
deported. And we have this also, but its a much more
limited population, so its quite surprising.

Kwanrawee Yongthonsakul,
Thailand
Economics
Fourth-year, College Nine

Eveline Hall, Ireland

Economics and politics
Third-year, College Nine

What do you think about the upcoming U.S. presidential

elections?

What is most surprising to you about the U.S. presidential elections

and the conversation surrounding them?

Its been a bit messy in a way. Its one of the first few times that
people just hate both of the candidates [...] In a way, I guess its
very polarizing. You either hate this or love this kind of way.
I wouldnt have imagined someone so radical to receive this
much support. If you look at it in a business strategy way, if
you differentiate from the masses so hard, then chances are
youre going to get like a strong support from a small group of
people, but here I see all Trump. Its very radical, and he gets a
lot of support from a whole bunch of people, which Id never
imagine.

After all we know about Donald Trump, there are still a lot of
people, like almost half of the country or maybe less, but half
of the country that is considering that Trump is a good option.
Because maybe, economically, its a good choice. I have no
idea, but as a person I would never trust him. Even with what
happened with Hillary and the emails and all the other stuff,
its like one black point in Hillary Clintons career, but Trump is
another level.

Sinclert Prez, Spain

Computer science
Fourth-year, College Nine

What do you think about the upcoming US presidential

elections?

Do you have any advice for American students voting in the

upcoming elections?

Its a bit like reality TV for a lot of Europeans. We look at the U.S.
election, and you have Trump whos from The Apprentice and
he obviously is a reality TV star. And the way that the medias
treating the election seems to be that sort of sense of nobody
really know whats gonna happen, and its all a bit ridiculous
and nobody really likes any of the candidates, and it seems to
be the lesser of two evils for most people as well, which is sad.

I would say not to go for [third party candidates]. I know

theres the third party candidate option, but they would never
be elected anyway. So it would just disperse the votes. I know
its a way of protesting in a sense, which I mean, I think its
right to protest. But this is not the right way because it could
be really, really dangerous because it could just divert some
votes away, and then, of course, it would be worse than if they
voted for the other candidates.

Laura Toniato, Italy

Business management economics
Third-year, College Ten
Julia Lichtner, Germany
Film studies
Third-year, College Ten

Hiroaki Sakamoto, Japan

Economics
Second-year, College Nine

Do you have any advice for American students voting in the

upcoming elections?

Do you think the presidential election here will affect you in

your home country?

Please people, vote. First of all, vote for what you truly believe.
But dont forget about the other people in your country. Dont
forget about the basic rights of all humans, and just vote for
what is going to be the best for the country.

Definitely, because Japan and America have strong bonds,

so there are so many things that are related to America like
American armies are in Japan. And also we import so many
things from America, and we export so many things from
Japan. So yeah, it will be. It has something big influence.

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CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 9

CITY COUNCIL

Q&A with City Council Candidates

City on a Hill Press hosted a forum for Santa Cruz City Council candidates at the Student Media Center to discuss university expansion, police
accountability, housing and other issues affecting UC Santa Cruz students. BY MICHAEL KUSHNER AND NICK NODINE, PHOTOS BY MATTHEW FORMAN

Given the recent controversies

surrounding Sean Arlts death, do
you believe the current training
of Santa Cruz Police Department
officers is adequate?

Theres always more that can be done. I think what we can say is that our police
department training, in general, its training program and its training in dealing with
those with mental illness, exhibiting mental illness, far exceeds the standards. What we
really take from this really tragic incident was that there has been a failure of the mental
health system, and I think thats whats going to come out in the investigation. I hope that
the independent investigation shows us how we can do better, and we will do that.

cynthia mathews
Ultimately, I think it is about how do we prevent tragedies like that from happening in the first place. I always try to talk about juvenile justice
prevention programs and alternatives. [21st Century Policing Practices Model] lays out very specific things. It has a community involvement process,
it has a review process, it has a number of stakeholders at the table working with law enforcement to look at how we can identify the things that are
going well and are aligned with what the recommendations for those practices are. But then, in addition, how we can always look for continuous
improvement and do better? I was really inspired and hopeful that we could potentially look at that as a tool or formal adoption at the city level.

martine watkins
What Id say about this whole incident is we should
have more of our law enforcement officers using rubber
bullets and other non-lethal weapons. Simply put, if we
do end up letting officers keep guns with real bullets that
could kill, it should be the high-ranking officers that
get those and the lower-ranking officers, again, rubber
bullets.

nathanael kennedy

robert singleton

chris krohn

We need better mental health infrastructure, and I

think the way we do that is we partner, in particular
with the sheriff s office, but also with our public health
agencies at a countywide level to provide long-term
mental health treatment. One of the things I really want
to see our police department adopt is something our
sheriff s department has adopted in line with the 21st
Century Policing [Model] is having body cameras. You
got to have the body cameras because that provides the
most objective view, and it will allow us to better assess
situations like this.

I was on the city council from 1998-2002, and we did

have a police review board at that time and I supported
it. A police review board is a good thing for police and
also for the community because theres a place to go.
Right now, when you make a complaint you have to go
to the police station to make that complaint, and its
rather intimidating for a lot of people. Having a review
board would help in a situation like this where you
have an officer-involved shooting. As far as training
of Santa Cruz police officers, unless one of us up here
was a police officer, it would be very difficult for us to
comment on that.

J.M. Brown (left) and current mayor Cynthia Mathews (right).

10 NOVEMBER 3

Are you in favor of the towns

current sleeping ordinance ban?
Why or why not?

drew glover

The end to houselessness is housing. I think the sleeping ban gets a lot of attention in this
conversation, but it doesnt actually lead to any long-term solutions. And when I say housing
is the end to homelessness, Im talking about a wide range of housing. We need to start with
permanent supportive housing, as a transition from homelessness that leads hopefully to
independent housing that is affordable for people. And we need ongoing case management for
people who used to be homeless that not only deals with potentially co-occurring substance
abuse and mental health thats not being addressed properly, but also providing job training
and other services that are designed to be stabilizing in their lives.

I think its irresponsible. Its been found to be unconstitutional by the Department of Justice, looking into refusing people the right to sleep.
Beyond the fact that it is noncompassionate and unconstitutional, its a really great symbol of the way the city currently operates with regards to
houseless and homeless individuals, led under the leadership of individuals that are currently sitting on council and have been there for a while
now. It shows that instead of looking at ways to increase services, increase resources and increase upward mobility for marginalized people in
our community, we would rather criminalize them.

j.m. brown

nathanael kennedy

I actually view it as just somewhat of a necessary evil.

I mean it goes along the lines of the no trespassing
and no loitering laws. And what I mean by that is
if we let anybody and everybody sleep absolutely
anywhere they want to, right in the middle of the
sidewalk or whatever, that were gearing for a bunch
of trouble there. But, at the same time, what is really
important is we need to have dedicated areas in the
city parks and so on and so forth where people can
legally sleep.

steve schnaar

I actually agree with Nathanael that its not just about

ending the ban, its about having positive designated
places for people to sleep. Its miserable out there on
this cold rainy morning. Its violent. People have stuff
stolen, and women on the street face extreme levels of
sexual violence. Thats true for the people out there,
and its also true that some unhoused people have
negative impacts on our parks and sidewalks and
neighborhoods, and so Im interested in finding positive
solutions, finding designated camping and parking
areas.

I dont commit to that process at that point because I dont think that may be necessary, and its
not the only way to achieve a garden for the Beach Flats area. There are a lot of ways to achieve
[a Beach Flats garden], and it may be, in some way, that the Seaside company brings forward
that could negotiate a result, rather than a legally contentious one. Thats the direction that I
would like to see. I think we ought to have the opportunity for more community gardens. Theyre
wonderful. They really do build community. So no, I am not gonna commit to eminent domain.
I think that is an expensive and contentious procedure that may achieve the goal, and I think the
goal can be achieved better and more fully through different means.

if elected, or re-elected, do you

support buying the Beach Flats
Garden from the Seaside company
by means of eminent domain, why
or why not?

cynthia mathews
There is so much to talk about with this specific issue, but the short answer is yes. I would, if elected, explore using eminent domain to acquire
the garden. It is a cultural landmark in Santa Cruz that has been the home of indigenous gardening practices for the past 20 years. And well, it was
donated by the Seaside company, the only reason it was because the community itself took it upon itself to de-slum the parcel of property and turn
it into a vibrant garden. It provides an organic garden, organic vegetables for the entire community that exists in a literal food desert where the
closest grocery store where they can get fresh food is over a mile away and not accessible through public transit.

drew glover

j.m. brown

sandy brown

We need to, and we have the time to negotiate what

thats going to look like over the next couple of years,
with the gardeners and the Seaside company, everyone
gets a seat at the table. I feel like eminent domain would
lead to expensive and unnecessary law suits, and its city
money that could actually fund desperately needed parks
programs. We also have a parks master plan process that is
also in place right now and Beach Flats garden should be
considered as part of that process.

I think talking about [eminent domain] in this case is

not inappropriate. These are people who have committed
their lives to continuing their cultural practices, growing
their own food and they are living in a place that is a food
desert. Its not just about the garden. Its about what people
get to do with their property and the people who live on
that property, and [how they] try to do their best to survive
[and] what they experience on a day to day basis.

From left to right: Robert Singleton, Drew Glover, Steve Schnaar

and Chris Krohn.
CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 11

CITY COUNCIL

How should the university work

with the city in regards to the
housing crisis and university
expansion?
cynthia mathews

The main thing is to work with one another, and I have worked with the chancellor this past
year with loosening up some of the state restrictions on how campus housing is provided and
also initiated a workforce housing committee jointly with the university, city, county and local
school districts. So thats an active participation. The other thing we need to do is tackle the
housing situation overall in the city, and certainly the housing crunch here affects students.
It affects every single sector of our community, so I think the main thing is to look for
opportunities to do more housing on campus [and] to be more flexible in financing because
thats one of the real constraints.

The mayor [Cynthia] just referred to some offline conversation that she might have had with the chancellor. The community has to be brought
into this conversation. And it cant happen ad hoc. Its got to be a conversation with the community, with the students, and people have to be
brought into it. I think that something like the trailer park is wildly popular that could be easy transition housing on campus. We could set up
several trailer parks. I think the next city council has to look at a lot of different options but has to work with the university on this issue and
has to demand more from the university.

chris krohn

sandy brown

12 NOVEMBER 3

I have not talked to one student or staff

member who thinks they have stability and
the ability to continue to live in this town. And
that, to me, is a huge issue of concern. I think
there are lots of things that the city can do to
negotiate better with the university. One [way to
negotiate] is around access to water on campus,
and Im not saying I want to shut off water for
the students. Im saying that the university
needs to accept the fact that the city has some
role to play in the decisions it makes.

martine watkins

The housing situation in Santa Cruz is

pressured from all angles, from all aspects,
so its really important to think about it
holistically where were at for working
families, to the role the university plays, to
the students, to all kinds of folks that are
living here in Santa Cruz. For me looking at
the policies that are multi-pronged, to really
look at those types of relationships with the
university, with other types of developers, with
all folks, so we can come together to the best
solutions.

Presidential Platforms

Where the candidates stand on the issues

BY ALLISON HOLLENDER

for Public Affairs Research.

Despite these feelings, young people could have one of the largest impacts
on the presidential election. Those between the ages of 18 and 29 make up 31
percent of eligible voters.
With that in mind, lets take a look at some of the policies that will directly
affect young voters.

PHOTOILLUSTRATION BY CASEY AMARAL AND STEPHEN DE ROPP

A deep and growing divide in U.S. voter ideology has shaped much of this
presidential race, causing tension on all sides. Former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton and businessman Donald Trump are more disliked than any other
candidates in recent history and most Americans, especially young people,
expressed feeling an unprecedented frustration toward the presidential
election two-thirds of whom reported feeling helpless in the face of the
election, according to a poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center

Immigration
Immigration has been one of the most contentious issues in
this presidential race, making this election particularly personal
for many U.S. voters.

Trump began his campaign with a strong stance against

immigration. His flagship proposal has been to build a wall
between the U.S. and Mexico in an attempt to prevent crime and
drugs from coming into America, despite the fact that 40 percent
of undocumented immigrants arrive with visas and overstay
their allotted times.
Trump said if he becomes president, he will ban all Muslims
from entering the U.S. but has since clarified that he would
suspend all immigration from regions affected by terrorism.
This immigration plan would also require vetting all
immigrants coming in the country to ensure they support
Americas values, institutions and people.
In Trumps immigration plan, he said he wants to prioritize
the jobs, wages and security of the American people.
Clinton plans to continue Obamas legacy regarding
immigration by defending DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents
of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents) and DACA
(Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals),
which are executive actions that provide deferred action to
undocumented people this doesnt grant them full legal status,
but it ensures they are exempt from deportation.
Clinton would also allow immigrant families to buy into
Affordable Care Act exchanges.
Continue developing the newly formed relationship with
Cuba

Health Care

To understand the proposals of Secretary of State Hillary

Clinton and businessman Donald Trump, its important to look
at the context theyre being created in.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), enacted in 2010, is an attempt
to address some of major problems of the healthcare system.
The ACA primarily sought to increase the number of insured
Americans by:
Increasing the government program Medicaid
Setting up health insurance marketplaces, or organizations
set up to facilitate the purchase of health insurance with
government-regulated health care plans and federal subsidies
Requiring health insurance by taxing those who didnt have it
Ensuring that no one can be denied health care due to a preexisting condition

An estimated 20 million people have been insured by the ACA

since 2010, including more than 6 million young adults, in part
because the ACA allows children to stay on their parents health
insurance plans for longer.
Health care spending is still on the rise though. In 2016 alone,
the U.S. will spend an estimated $3.4 trillion on health care,
according to California Health Care Foundation. While the ACA
can be partially blamed for this cost increase, the ACA didnt
attempt to tackle health care spending and costs.
Trump said he will eliminate the ACA and replace it with
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), but the U.S. has used HSAs
since 2003. He also said he would change the way Medicaid
is funded to block grants for states to administer their own
Medicaid programs like Medi-Cal here in California. He hopes
to stimulate the market by allowing insurance to be sold across
state lines a common proposal endorsed by Republicans. He
would also make all health insurance premiums tax deductible
and repeal the new taxes created by the ACA, resulting in a plan
that would mostly benefit those with high incomes.
Clinton would amend the ACA by offering a public option
on insurance marketplaces, opening up state coverage to more
people than just the elderly and poor, including expanding it
to immigrants. She said she would incentivize states to expand
Medicaid and make enrollment easier. And lastly, said she will
defend access to reproductive health care and double funding for
community health centers, including rural health clinics.

Trump

LGBTQIA+

was labeled by the Human Rights campaign as

dangerously out of step with the fair-minded majority of
Americans who believe that LGBTQ people should be treated
equally under the law. Trump has consistently been an opponent
of marriage equality since running, saying once in office he would
undo the ruling of the Supreme Court. He expressed support for
North Carolinas House Bill 2, the controversial law that requires
people to enter the bathroom that matches the sex on their birth
certificate. He promotes passing the First Amendment Defense
Act, which allows businesses to refuse service to queer folks.
Clinton pledged to support LGBT youth, parents and
elders. She was criticized in the past for having a wavering
stance on gay marriage, especially when she ran against Vermont
Senator Bernie Sanders, but now campaigns as the candidate
for underrepresented rights. In her platform she promises she
will protect LGBT rights by ending conversion therapy and will
select a Supreme Court Justice who will not undermine the samesex ruling.

Environment
Climate change is one of the largest and most threatening
forces to human life as it stands. According to the National
Academy of Sciences, now is a crucial time to take action.
Past efforts to address climate change include the 2015
Paris Climate Summit where 190 countries, including the U.S.,
established a framework for battling climate change and the
November 2016 Marrakech Climate Change Conference that
implemented a threshold for enforcement.
Trump wants to dismantle the 2015 Paris Climate Summit
agreements, and he tweeted in 2012 that climate change is
a hoax created by the Chinese. He hasnt released a specific
environmental plan, but in his energy plan, he says he wants the
U.S. to be energy independent and will do so by opening federal
lands to allow drilling for natural gas and eliminate prohibitions
on coal leasing, which is federal land leased for coal mining.
Clinton said she will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up
to 30 percent by 2025 relative to 2005 levels and will do so by
investing in more clean energy and cutting oil and tax subsidies
hoping to shift the market to one that prioritizes more clean
energy. She also promised to tackle environmental racism, as half
of the Latinx population live in areas where the air quality doesnt
meet the Environmental Protection Agencys standards.

Student Debt
This generation of young people are the most educated
generation in history, but they are also burdened by student loan
debt more than ever. The class of 2016 graduated with an average
of $37,172 in student loan debt. As student debt climbs higher,
being in debt at 23 has become the norm.
Relieving this burden is one of the few policies Hillary Clinton
and Donald Trump agree on. However, how to go about relieving
this burden is like everything else in this election complicated.
Trump wants to relieve the burden of student debt by calling
for an end to the federal government making money off student
loan interest payments. He also suggested investing in K-12,
including adding $20 billion toward school choice, which
would allow every American living in poverty to choose which
school they want to attend.
Clinton also called for a cut to the federal interest rate. She
also promoted making community college free to students, and
by 2021 vows that families making up to $125,000 will pay no
tuition for in-state, four-year public colleges and universities
(i.e., University of California and California State Universities).

CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 13

THROUGH OUR LENS

Fighting for the Vote

Looking back at the presidential campaign trail

BY STEPHEN DE ROPP
At times, the scene turned violent in the streets outside the San Jose Convention Center after the June
2 Donald Trump rally, as hundreds of protesters confronted rally attendees as they left. Hundreds of
police officers clad in riot gear responded, but countless fights still broke out and few were arrested. A
month later, several rally attendees filed a class action lawsuit against the city of San Jose, its mayor and
its police chief for failing to prevent the violence (top left). San Jose Police Lt. Johnson Fong commands a
force of riot police as they kettle protesters, pushing them away from the downtown area and through
the streets of San Jose (middle top).

Hillary Clinton makes her entrance during a campaign stop in downtown San Jose on May 26 (left).
Donald Trump riles up the several thousand in attendance at his rally in San Jose on May 26. Trump took
a decidedly more aggressive tone than in the past declaring that Hillary Clinton needed to go to prison
(above).

14 NOVEMBER 3

Bernie Sanders speaks to a massive crowd of nearly 20,000 people at Bonney Field in Sacramento on May 10 (left). A Hillary
Clinton supporter reacts as former Secretary of State Clinton enters the room for a speech in San Jose on May 26 (top).

Be Part of the Solution

Your vote November 8 is critical to reducing

the carbon footprint of Santa Cruz County.
Many people think that climate change is too
big for them to make any personal positive
impact. But if enough concerned citizens vote
NO on Measure D, we can tell the politicians we
want a better plan with greater greenhouse gas
reductions for a real positive impact.
Transportation accounts for half of Santa Cruz
Countys Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Governor
Brown just signed into law SB32 which requires
the state to reduce GHG emissions to 40% below
1990 levels by 2030. Santa Cruz County is way
out of step with this requirement. Our County
Transportation Plan wont even get us back to
1990 levels.

Improved Transit or a Wider Highway?

Measure D wastes $100,000,000 on widening
Highway 1. This money should be used to
improve public transit.
Measure D does not restore the recent 12% cut
to our bus service
To learn more: WideningWontWork.org

Vote NO on
Measure D
November 8.

Paid for by WideningWont Work, a Committee Opposed to Measure D

CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 15

STATE MEASURES

State Ballot Measure Breakdown

BY JEN ESTRADA AND ALLISON HOLLENDER

Seventeen state ballot measures will be put before the California voters at the Nov. 8 election. Citizens will be voting on an array of issues ranging from marijuana legalization and
death penalty reform to increased state taxes and medical drug costs.
To unpack the complexities of the state ballot measures, heres some information to help you make your decision.

51

School Bonds
Proposition 51 authorizes the state to issue $9 billion in bonds to fund
the improvement of school facilities: K-12 public schools, charter schools,
California Community Colleges and vocational education facilities.

VOTING YES: supports the state issuing $9 billion in bonds.

Supporters, like Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, California Democratic Party
and California Republican Party, argue improvements to the education
system will boost the economy. They also note many education
facilities need to be renovated in order to comply with earthquake, fire
and safety codes.

52

53

hospitals fees
Medi-Cal, the states version of the government-aided
insurance Medicaid, is funded by the state and then
matched dollar for dollar by the federal government.
However, hospitals say they lose money that funds the
one in three Californians who are Medi-Cal patients
because they arent fully reimbursed. In 2009,
Californias private hospitals offered $3 billion a year
through a fee program to be matched by the federal
government the hospital quality assurance fee.
Proposition 52 would make that fee, which helps pay
for healthcare for government-aided patients, permanent. Any change requires
voter approval.

Revenue Bonds
Proposition 53 requires statewide voter approval before issuing or selling any
revenue bonds over $2 billion that increase taxes or fees for repayment. This
applies to any state or federal project, and if passed, it would require
approval for the bonds of projects like Delta Pipeline Project and the
California High-Speed Rail.

$$

VOTING YES: would stipulate the need for voter approval before
issuing more than $2 billion in revenue bonds. Supporters, like the
Republican and Libertarian parties, argue Proposition 53 would increase
accountability for politicians borrowing state revenue.

VOTING NO: opposes the state issuing $9 billion in bonds. State Legislature
tried to put a similar proposal on the ballot in 2014, but Gov. Jerry Brown
opposed it because it added $500 million in debt every year to the budget.

FISCAL IMPACT:

$$$$$ X 35YEARS
500 MILLION

Proposition 51 will cost the state about $17.6

billion $500 million per year for 35 years.
This includes the initial cost of the bond and
interest.

VOTING YES: indefinitely extends the hospital fee, which is set to expire,
and adds the language of the fee to the California Constitution to ensure MediCal and hospitals get the money.

VOTING NO: means the existing fee would expire in January 2018 unless
additional action is taken by the legislature to extend it.
This is one of the most widely-supported bills on the ballot but has one of the
most confusing wordings. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, this could
result in the downfall of the measure.

Party, Green Party of California and Gov. Jerry Brown, argue the proposition also
does not exempt emergency and natural disaster related projects.

FISCAL IMPACT: depends on which projects would be affected by this

proposition and whether or not they are approved by the voters.

Revenue bonds are issued for public infrastructure projects and

are paid back by the project. For example, if the high-speed rail is
created, then transit tickets would go towards paying back the cost
of building the rail itself.

VOTING NO: argues that Proposition 53 would lessen local control

and inhibit local and community infrastructure improvements by requiring a
statewide vote for some local projects. Opposers, like California Democratic

54

LEGISLATION AND PROCEEDINGS

Proposition 54 requires the California Legislature to
publish any changes made to bills in print and online at
least 72 hours before voting. It also authorizes the use
of audio and visual recordings in legislative meetings,
excluding closed meetings.

VOTING YES: stops legislature from passing any bill

until it is published. Supporters argue the proposition
will increase transparency and will prevent bills from
being changed last minute by special interest groups.
However, special interest groups are the ones endorsing the bill. Charles
Munger, who heads Spirit of Democracy, a political action committee, has
contributed over $10 million to the proposition.

16 NOVEMBER 3

VOTING NO: argues the proposition would bring unnecessary restrictions,

like the fact every comma and typo would need to be published 72 hours in
advance hindering the legislations ability to compromise and move through
proceedings quickly. Opposers like California Democratic Party and California
Labor Federation argue that legislature proceedings are also currently open to
the public, and many meetings are available online.

Fiscal Impact:

$$

1-2 MILLION
initially

1 MILLION
annually

55

TAX EXTENSION : EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE

Proposition 55 extends the temporary personal income tax increases on
earnings over $250,000 enacted in 2012. The tax increase would be
extended over 12 additional years to fund K-12 schools, California Community
Colleges and healthcare.

VOTING YES: extends the personal income tax to fund education

and healthcare. Supporters, like the California Democratic Party
and Green Party of California, argue the proposition would only tax
those with an income of over $250,000. The proposition also sets
strict transparency policies to ensure the money goes to the proper
systems.

VOTING NO: opposes extending the income tax, allowing the increase to expire
in 2019. Opposers, like California Republican Party and California Chamber of
Commerce, argue the proposition would extend a tax that was supposed to be
temporary and would specifically help special interests projects rather than going
into a general fund for the state. They also argue that the tax is unnecessary and
funding could come from the already existing state budget.

fiscal impact:

CIGARETTE TAX

56

Proposition 56 increases cigarette taxes by $2 per pack or the equivalent on

other tobacco products including electronic cigarettes with nicotine, chewing
tobacco and cigars. Revenue from the tax would be used to fund enforcement of
tobacco laws, physician training, prevention, research of tobacco-related
diseases, Medi-Cal and school programs which prevent tobacco use.

VOTING YES: favors increasing the tax. Supporters, like California

Democratic Party and Green Party of California, argue the tax increase
would reduce smoking in young people and help pay for tobacco-related
health care.

57

VOTING NO: opposes increasing the cigarette tax. Opposers, like California
Republican Party and Libertarian Party of California, argue the proposition would
fund insurance companies while wasting money on overhead and bureaucracy.

fiscal impact:

$$

The state revenue would increase between $1 billion

to $1.4 billion annually with a potential drop every
year due to a lower amount of tobacco purchase.

1-1.4
BILLION

VOTING YES: supports increasing parole and good behavior opportunities for felons

CRIMINAL SENTENCES

convicted of nonviolent crimes. Supporters, like Gov. Jerry Brown and California
Democratic Party, argue the proposition will decrease overcrowding in state prisons,
saving the taxpayers millions of dollars.

Proposition 57 allows parole consideration

for nonviolent felons showing good behavior,
rehabilition and educational achievements. Approximately
7,000 inmates would be eligible immediately according to
the Associated Press. Those eligible would have served the
full sentence for their primary crime and would have to pass
a screening process ensuring they are not a danger to public
safety.

VOTING NO: opposes increasing parole and good behavior opportunities for felons
convicted of nonviolent crimes. Opposers, like California Republican Party and
California Police Chiefs Association, argue that nonviolent felons may include rapists
and human traffickers who, due to this proposition, could be put out on parole. They
say the proposition could increase crime rate.

The proposition also stipulates that juvenile court judges, rather than prosecutors,
will decide whether or not minors (14 to 17) will be prosecuted as adults.

58

$$$$$$$$$

FISCAL IMPACT: state savings in the tens of millions of dollars annually due to
smaller prison populations. It would likely cost millions of dollars annually for court
proceedings.

NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES

Proposition 58 repeals the English in Public

Schools Initiative of 1998. This would
allow teachers to use non-English languages
in public educational institutions. The proposition
will still require all public school students become
proficient in English, but school districts will now be
required to receive community input when developing
language acquisition programs.

VOTING YES: allows classes to use non-English

languages for public educational instruction.
Supporters, like Gov. Jerry Brown and California
Democratic Party, argue that the proposition would
encourage multilingual education.This would also

Would increase
state revenue by $4
billion to $9 billion
annually from
2019-30.

allow native English speakers more

opportunities to learn a second
language.

VOTING NO: keeps the English

ABC

in Public Schools Initiative in

place prohibiting primary use of
non-English languages in public
schools. Opposers, like the
California Republican Party and Libertarian Party
of California, argue the proposition would hinder
improved language education for non-native speakers
by no longer requiring that California children to be
primarily taught English in public schools.

60

ADULT FILMS
AND CONDOMS

Proposition 60 would require

the use of condoms during
the filming penetration
in pornographic films.
Pornographic film
producers would be
required to pay for a medical
license, medical examinations,
vaccines and sexually transmitted
infection testing. They must also post a notice of
condom requirements at all film sites.

VOTING YES: would require these new safety

59

support for OVERTURNing OF CITIZENS UNITED

Proposition 59 is an advisory proposition,

meaning it will not initially influence policy.
This asks voters to propose the question to
elected officials if they should use their
power to overturn the Citizens United v.
Federal Election Commission decision. The
proposition stipulates money shouldnt
be protected under the First Amendment
and therefore should be monitored by state
officials.

VOTING YES: encourages state elected

officials to overturn the Citizens United

v. Federal Election Commission decision.

Supporters, like Sen. Bernie Sanders and
California Democratic Party, argue the
proposition would start the process of limiting
overspending in political campaigns.

VOTING NO: opposes overturning this

decision. Opposers, like California Sens. Jeff
Stone and Jean Fuller, argue the proposition
would be ineffective because it does not limit
contributions to specific candidates or parties.
They say it could also potentially harm small
businesses incorporated into larger corporations.

measures. Supporters, like AIDS Healthcare

Foundation and California Peace and Freedom Party,
argue that the proposition would reduce sexually
transmitted infections while holding producers
accountable.

VOTING NO: opposes additional safety measures

in the filming of pornographic films. Opposers,
like California Democratic Party and California
Republican Party, argues that the proposition would
violate workers privacy while costing the taxpayers
millions of dollars.

FISCAL IMPACT: would require a license and

regulation system for the adult film industry that
could exceed $1 million annually.

CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 17

61

PRESCRIPTION DRUG Costs

VOTING YES: supports the state paying no more than the VA for prescription

Proposition 61 regulates prescription drug prices by

mandating that the state only buy prescription drugs from
manufacturers at a price equal to or lower than that paid by
the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This could result
in drug companies increasing prices for the VA or lowering
prices for the state. This excludes programs funded through
Medi-Cal.

63

drugs. Supporters, like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Green Party of California, argue
that the proposition could save taxpayers billions of dollars in healthcare costs
and provide greater access to drugs.

VOTING NO: opposes this measure. Opposers, like California Republican Party
and Libertarian Party of California, argue the proposition would hurt veterans by
increasing their drug prices and that drug prices may not go down for the general
public.

VOTING NO: opposes prohibiting the possession of

62 DEATH PENALTY: repeal

large-capacity magazines and requiring background

checks in order to purchase ammunition. Opposers,
like California Republican Party and Libertarian Party
of California, argue the proposition would make it
harder for gun owners to get
ammunition, and that it does not
address keeping firearms out of
the hands of people who may
threaten public safety.

VOTING YES: supports repealing the death penalty.

FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION SALES

Proposition 63 prohibits the possession

of large-capacity magazines. It also
requires certain residents to pass
background checks from the California Department of
Justice to purchase ammunition. Residents who are
not allowed to purchase ammunition must be reported
to the federal National Instant Criminal Background
Check System.

VOTING YES: prohibits the possession of largecapacity magazines. Supporters Lt. Gov. Gavin
Newsom and California Democratic Party argue the
proposition would protect Second Amendment rights
for law abiding citizens while keeping guns and
ammunition out of the wrong hands.

AMMO

Proposition 62 repeals the death penalty,

replacing it with life in prison without parole. This
measure would apply to prisoners currently on death row
and would require them to work in order to pay restitution
to the families of their victims. Twenty to 60 percent of
wages would be used to pay restitution. If Proposition 66
and 62 both pass, the one with the larger amount of votes
will be put into effect.

Supporters, like California Democratic Party and Green

Party of California, argue the proposition would save the
taxpayers money by abolishing the costly system, while also
providing closure to the victims through the payment of
restitution.

VOTING NO: opposes abolishing the death penalty.

64

recreational mARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

Proposition 64 legalizes recreational
marijuana in the state of California for
adults ages 21 or older. The measure
also stipulates a 15 percent
state tax on all retail sales of
marijuana, exempting medical
marijuana sales. It establishes
regulations on the industry.
The measure also allows for
resentencing for marijuanarelated convictions.

decreasing the illegal drug industry.

VOTING NO: opposes the legalization of recreational
marijuana. Opposers, like California Republican
Party and Libertarian Party of California, argue the
proposition would lead to more DUIs and would put
small marijuana farmers out of business.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Up to 1 BILLION in state revenue through

VOTING YES: supports legalizing recreational use

of marijuana. Supporters, like Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom
and California Democratic Party, argue the proposition
would make marijuana safe, controlled and taxed

taxes, also decreasing

costs of the state by
reducing offenders in
state prisons

Opposers like, the California Republican Party and

California Police Chiefs Association, argue the measure
would protect the states worst criminals while forcing the
taxpayers to pay for their permanent life care.

FISCAL IMPACT: would reduce state and county criminal

justice costs of around $150 million annually.

66

DEATH PENALTY: Amend

Proposition 66 changes the appeal system in death

row cases limits the amount of petitions an
inmate can make and restricts it to five years. The proposition
also increases funds to victim restitution. If Proposition 66
and 62 both pass, the one with the larger amount of votes
will be put into effect.

*For more information, see page 22

VOTING YES: supports decreasing the petitions allowed for

65

CARRY-OUT BAGS

Proposition 65 redirects revenue made

from the sales of disposable bags to
environmental projects. This applies to
bag sales mandated by a state or county law that bans
the dispersal of free carryout bags. The money from this
proposition will be put into a fund that will be directed
by the Wildlife Conservation Board.

VOTING YES: supports the collection and

redistribution of disposable bag sales to environmental
projects. Supporters, like California Republican Party,
argue the proposition would increase funds towards
state environmental projects like the drought, while also
stopping stores from making extra profit off of bag sales.

67

VOTING NO: opposes

the collection of bag
fees. Opposers, like
California Green Party
and the Libertarian Party
of California, argue the
proposition would require
the setup of a large
bureaucratic system to
collect and distribute the
collected money while the
program itself will bring in
little funds.

inmates on death row. Supporters, like California Republican

Party, argue the proposition would save money for the
taxpayers by lessening the amount of time an inmate spends
on death row while still keeping the death penalty in place.

VOTING NO: opposes altering the appeal system for the

death penalty. Opposers, like California Democratic Party and
Libertarian Party of California, argue the proposition would
cost taxpayers more due to increased litigation funds while
also increasing the risks of executing an innocent person.

FISCAL IMPACT: increase spending in state courts while

decreasing money spent in state prisons. The direct fiscal
impact is unknown.
*For more information, see page 21

plastic bag ban veto referendum

Proposition 67 bans grocery and retail stores from selling single use bags,
both plastic or non-recycled paper. Instead, the proposition allows only the
sale of recycled paper bags or reusable bags.

VOTING YES: approves banning all sale of one time use bags. Supporters, like
include Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Democratic Party, argue the
proposition will help the environment since currently only 5 percent of plastic bags get
recycled while the rest end up as litter in landfills.

18 NOVEMBER 3

VOTING NO: rejects the proposition of banning one time use bags. Opposers, like the
Libertarian Party of California, argue the proposition will increase cost to the taxpayers
while also increasing the risk of bacterial exposure from carrying things like raw meat in
reusable grocery bags.

FINANCIAL IMPACT: Proposition 67 will have little financial impact on the state
with a small projected cost from environmental clean up and administrative costs.

Race for Congress

CONGRESS

Lucius and Panetta enter congressional arena

Californias 20th
Congressional District,
which includes Santa Cruz,
Monterey and most of the
Upper Central Coast, is
currently represented in the
U.S. House by Democrat
Sam Farr. Farr is not
running for re-election,
meaning the congressional
seat is up for grabs.

BY MICKEY HELDMAN AND NICK NODINE

ILLUSTRATIONS BY OWEN THOMAS

Casey Lucius (R)

Jimmy Panetta (D)

Republican candidate, Casey Lucius, earned her bachelors degree in political science from
Ashland University in Ohio. She then moved to Columbus where she worked as a legislative and
administrative assistant for a state representative. In 1998 she became an officer in the U.S. Navy
after graduating from Naval Officer Candidate School. Women make up only 17 percent, around
75,000, of the total 440,000 naval personnel.
Lucius served on the advisory board of Pearl Buck International and was liaison to the Library
Advisory Board and Natural Resources Commission.
She was also a member on the Americans with Disabilities Act Advisory Board and a graduate
of Leadership of Monterey Peninsula.

Also running is Democrat Jimmy Panetta, son of former Congressman and Secretary of
Defence Leon Panetta. Jimmy Panetta started his legal career in 1996 as a prosecutor for the
Alameda County District Attorneys office in Oakland and served in the U.S. Navy Reserve on
active duty in Afghanistan. Panetta is now the deputy district attorney in Monterey County. At
the Rancho Cielo Youth Campus Panetta works to provide job training and placement for atrisk youth. He also serves as a trustee for the UC Santa Cruz Foundation, and is an associate
member of the Monterey and Santa Cruz County Farm Bureaus.

Stances:

Stances:

Immigration: Hoping to preserve American national identity, Lucius supports English

as the primary language in public schools, proper identification for recipients of government
benefits and the deportation of immigrants convicted of a felony, suspected of gang activity or
terrorism.

Immigration: Panetta believes in providing a path to citizenship for law-abiding families

paying taxes and those willing to play by the rules. This includes strengthening border security
and providing worker programs and educational opportunities for the children of immigrants.

Womens Rights: Though she is not an advocate for abortion, she believes women should
have the right to choose. She believes the pay gap between men and women is unjust and
outdated, medical and family leave should be up to 12 weeks and that veteran care and services
should be gender specific.

Climate Change: Lucius wants the public to prepare for the impacts of climate change.
She urges the community to focus on local energy and economic programs. She also supports
the Climate Change Technology Program, which focuses on using new technology to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
Poverty: Lucius believes the Expanding Opportunity in America bill will effectively provide
service and training for those who currently live in poverty. The Opportunity Grant, a grant
for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need, would support CalFresh, the
Public Benefits program and Healthy Families to make sure families access to food and a safe
environment.

Economic: By investing in clean energy, raising wages, implementing job training

programs and helping small businesses grow, Panetta hopes to boost the local economy. To
provide an accessible and apt labor force, Panetta encourages higher education institutions to
offer classes in skills like agriculture, tourism, technology, research and education to meet the
demand of local businesses.
Health Care: Panetta is a supporter of the Affordable Care Act. He supports lowering drug
costs, improving access to care and protecting Medicare. He also plans to institute a health
care council, involving providers and consumers, in the district to advise on health care issues.
Affordable Housing: As a supporter of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit a tax
break for developers of affordable rental housing Panetta supports a greater percentage
of affordable housing units in new market-rate development projects and encourages the
financing of low to moderate income housing.

CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 19

SENATE

Race for Senate

Californias Senate seat is open for first time in 24 years

BY SHELBY CLEMONS, ILLUSTRATIONS BY OWEN THOMAS

The Senate approves presidential and other federal appointments, ratifies or rejects
treaties and passes legislation.
Currently, Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein serve California in Congress.
Feinstein will continue her term until 2018 when she will face re-election, but Boxer is

retiring this year. Both House Representative Loretta Sanchez and Attorney General
Kamala Harris are on the ballot to fill her seat. Harris is leading the polls at about 42
percent, while Sanchez is polling at about 20 percent.

Loretta Sanchez

Current U.S. House representative

Background:
Sanchez has served north Orange County in the House of Representatives for 19 years. As a representative, she voted to
remove troops from Afghanistan, co-sponsored the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to support fair pay and supported Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) as part of immigration reform.
Platform and Advocacy:
Gun violence: Sanchez advocates for stronger common sense legislation, including closing gun purchase loopholes, which
allow sales online and at gun shows.
Immigration: She supports legislation that would create visas for entrepreneurs and Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics students and a road map for citizenship that includes humane border control and improved work programs.
Womens rights: Equal pay for equal work, equal
opportunity in the Armed Forces and sexual assault
policy reform in the military are among Sanchezs
policies for women.
Education: Sanchezs College Education for All plan
includes reduced community college tuition, expanded
workforce training programs, expansion of the Federal
Pell Grant program and increased access for armed
service members.

Kamala
Harris

Current California
attorney general
Background:
Harris served as the
district attorney in San
Francisco and is now
serving as attorney general
of California the first of
Asian and African descent.
She worked to reduce
recidivism in the criminal justice system, supported the Fair
Pay Act and created the California Homeowners Bill of Rights
to address foreclosure reforms.
Platform and Advocacy:
Civil Rights: Harris is an advocate for womens, LGBT and
immigrants rights, according to her website. Her platform
includes equal pay for women, pro-choice legislation, antidiscrimination for LGBT communities and comprehensive
immigration reform.
Criminal Justice Reform: The smart on crime approach
Harris cultivated means that she focuses on the most serious
and violence offenses at the top of the crime period
according to her campaign website.She also advocates for
the reduction of violence through assault weapons bans and
ending human trafficking.
Immigration: Comprehensive immigration reform with a fair
pathway to citizenship is part of Harris platform and history
as attorney general. She supports resettling refugees, the
DREAM act and President Obamas executive action around
immigration.
Higher Education: The accessibility of higher education
through free tuition at community colleges, lowered tuition
at public universities and better curriculum in community
colleges are part of Harris education platform.

20 NOVEMBER 3

PROP 62 & 66

Condemned Lives in Voters Hands

Capital punishment
could be repealed or
reformed at the polls

BY SEAN ROSS
Capital punishment is controversial, from the morality of
capital punishment to whether or not the time and manner of
its infliction is humane. But both Democrats and Republicans
acknowledge that Californias capital punishment system is, at
a minimum, in need of reform.
Californias death penalty is a 40-year failed experiment,
said Justin Brooks, director of the California Innocence Project,
an organization affiliated with the California Western School
of Law, dedicated to exonerating the wrongly convicted. Its
clearly not working. I think all sides agree with that.
On Nov. 8, California voters will choose between two
competing Propositions 62 and 66, regarding capital
punishment. Should both pass, a definite and unique
possibility for these measures, whichever gets the fewest yes
votes would be rendered void.
Since capital punishments reinstatement in 1978, more
than 900 people have been sentenced to death in California.
In that same time frame, only 13 people were executed the
last person was executed in January 2006.
The time between when an individual is sentenced to
die and the date of their execution is so long that in 2014
U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney held that Californias
capital punishment system constituted cruel and unusual
punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment. However,
the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed this ruling in
November 2015.
Since there are only two state prisons authorized to
hold death row inmates, San Quentin State Prison and the
maximum-security wing of the Central California Womens
Facility, overcrowding is also a major issue.
According to The Los Angeles Times, San Quentins death
row can hold 715 inmates. As of 2015, there are 731 men
currently on death row, 708 of whom are in the holding facility.
The remaining 23 were held at various locations while going
through appeals proceedings. The Los Angeles Times also
predicts an average of 20 more inmates to be placed on death
row annually.
Proposition 62, initially submitted for petition by former
M*A*S*H actor Mike Farrell, aims to address these issues by
repealing capital punishment in California. This repeal would
apply retroactively to all current death row inmates held in
the state. Per the nonpartisan California Legislative Analysts
Office (LAO), Proposition 62 is projected to save as much as
$150 million annually upon implementation.
All the studies have shown [the death penalty] is not a
deterrent. All the studies have shown that its more expensive
than life without parole, said California Innocence Project
director Justin Brooks. Theres a whole lot of moral and
practical reasons to oppose the death penalty, but the bottom
line in California is that it has not worked.
According to the official argument for Proposition 62
presented in Californias official voter information guide,
Taxpayers have spent more than $5 billion since 1978 to carry
out 13 executions a cost of $384 million per execution.
On the other hand, Proposition 66, submitted by Kermit
Alexander, whose mother, sister and two nephews were victims
of a multiple homicide, would keep capital punishment
legal. Rather than repealing capital punishment altogether,

KELLY LEUNG

Proposition 66 aims to overhaul the appeals

process for capital punishment cases which
are costly and drawn out procedures.
Currently, it can take up to five or more
years for a lawyer to even be assigned to an
appeal case. In an attempt to remedy that,
Proposition 66 proposes immediately
appointing an inmate with a special
appeals attorney.
Proposition
66
also
stipulates
the entire appeals process must be
concluded within five years, including
for inmates currently within the
appeal process. Its long term fiscal
effects are unknown, but California
LAO estimates short term spending
will increase due to an accelerated
spending for current cases to
meet the new timeline.
Proposition 66 also aims
to address the issue of
overcrowding on death row
by authorizing all California
state prisons to house
inmates condemned to
die, rather than having one
holding location each for
men and women.
Weve seen time and time again that voters want the
death penalty. They just want it to work. Thats what were
trying to do with [Proposition] 66, said Bill Bradley, campaign
spokesperson for No on 62, Yes on 66. Abolishing the death
penalty is bad for families. Theres no justice.
California voters are split on the question of whether to
speed up the appeals process or abolish the death penalty
entirely, according to a field poll released in January 2016.
This is a notable difference from 2014, where 52 percent of
voters favored speeding up the appeals process compared
to 40 percent that favored abolishing capital punishment.
According to an Oct. 2015 Gallup poll, 61 percent of adults
support the use of capital punishment nationwide.
Opponents of Proposition 66 are concerned by the
implications of a five year time limit. Death row appeals can
be intricate cases that take years to navigate.
Speeding [the appeals process] up is a really bad idea,
said California Innocence Project director Justin Brooks.
Weve walked 156 people off of death row, and some of those
cases took 15 to 20 years to prove. If we speed up the death
penalty, were going to execute innocent people.
Both propositions would require either death row inmates
in the case of Proposition 66 or inmates sentenced to life
without parole in the case of Proposition 62 to work while
incarcerated, and a percentage of their wages will be paid as
restitution to the families of the victims of their crimes.

Proposition 62:
Repeals capital punishment in
California
Would retroactively apply to all
death row inmates in California
Projected to save as much as $150
million annually
Proposition 66:
Keeps capital punishment in
California, but streamlines appeals
process
Proposes immediately appointing an
inmate with an attorney
Sets a five-year limit for appeals
process

CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 21

PROP 64

Recreational Marijuana for Adults

A breakdown of California Proposition 64

BY JEN ESTRADA

On Campus
For UCSC students, any use of marijuana on campus, even
medical usage, is prohibited. If Proposition 64 passes, students
in possession of marijuana could be expelled.
People dont understand what the law is, said UCSC Police
Department (UCSC PD) Chief Nader Oweis. We are a federallyfunded institution, and we have to abide by federal law.
Many students wonder how the legalization of marijuana will
affect celebration on 4/20, an annual, non-sanctioned event that
takes place on April 20 at the Porter Meadows.
The annual event will still be illegal because Proposition 64
does not allow the consumption of marijuana in public spaces.
Oweis said if the proposition passes, public safety procedures
on 4/20 will remain the same, including the DUI checkpoints at
both entrances to campus.
Although Proposition 64 will not directly affect life on
campus, UCSC students are still speaking out in support of the
proposition.
[Proposition] 64 is a toughie because there are so many
vague details regarding where it will be legal to grow, and where
the money the legislation makes will go, said Students for
Sensible Drug Policy member Joey Sandmeyer. Im for legalizing
marijuana for recreational drug use, [but] in my opinion, if we
miss this vote there will never be a 100 percent glorious and
perfect alternative bill that legalizes pot.
But the true ramifications of legalizing recreational marijuana
in California are still greatly unknown. Legal marijuana in
a population of Californias size is unprecedented. We cant
determine how it will affect public safety on California roads or
what businesses and funds will spur from this proposition. The
main issue to consider about Proposition 64 when voting on Nov.
8 is whether or not California is ready to adapt to the changes in
law, tax and medicine this measure will enact.

22 NOVEMBER 3

AN

NA

MC

GR

EW

California has the opportunity to join Colorado, Washington,

Oregon and Alaska by legalizing the adult use of recreational
marijuana in the Nov. 8 election. If passed, California would be
the most populated state to legalize marijuana. The proposition
has unknown ramifications, which has caused confusion about
how it will be enforced across such a vast population and what
would this mean financially for the state.
Proposition 64, the California Marijuana Legalization
Initiative or the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, would allow
California residents and visitors age 21 and over to use
recreational marijuana. Users would be able to buy up to about
one ounce of marijuana, eight grams of concentrated cannabis
products and grow up to six potted marijuana plants.
There is a lot about Proposition 64 that is really good. The
proposition has earned the endorsement of the [American Civil
Liberties Union] and Drug Policy Alliance, said UC Santa Cruz
Students for Sensible Drug Policy representative Pierre Baudin.
[The proposition] would clear the records of all people who
have been previously convicted of marijuana related offenses
that would be legal under the new law. It would even get some
people out of prison.
If passed, current felony charges of transporting or cultivating
marijuana for sale will be reduced to misdemeanor charges.
California citizens who were convicted of these felonies could
petition the court to reduce their sentence and have the felony
wiped from their record.
Proposition 64 would also form two new taxes on marijuana.
The first would be a 15 percent retail tax on all sales of cannabis
products. The second would tax the cultivation of marijuana
$9.25 per ounce for flowers and $2.75 per ounce for leaves.

Driving Under the Influence

Some critics argue Proposition 64 lacks a responsible
method for detecting DUIs. The psychoactive component,
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), found in the cannabis plant lingers
in the users bloodstreams for several weeks after smoking or
ingesting marijuana. Due to the longevity of the drug, it is difficult
to determine how impaired a person is during a DUI arrest.
Currently, if you are pulled over in California and an officer
suspects you are under the influence of marijuana, they
administer a field sobriety test. These include a one-leg-standing
test and a walk-and-turn test. If the officer still suspects the use of
marijuana, they can request a blood or urine test, but these tests
cannot determine how recently the driver consumed marijuana.
Throughout states where recreational marijuana has been
passed, we have seen an increase in DUI arrests, said UCSC PD
Chief Nader Oweis.
In Washington, car crashes in which the driver at fault tested
positive for THC have more than doubled since the state approved
legalization of recreational marijuana in 2012. According to the
American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety
(AAAFTS) this has led to more DUI arrests, but there is no way to
determine the extent of the drivers impairment during the time
of the accident.
In an attempt to address this problem, Proposition 64 allocates
$3 million annually for five years to the Department of California
Highway Patrol (CHP) to develop protocols for testing whether or
not a driver is impaired due to marijuana consumption.

Measure I
More locally, Measure I is on the ballot for Santa Cruz County.
Unanimously supported by the current city council members,
that measure would amend the vague Cannabis Business Tax
Ordinance to expand taxation to include more strains of the
plant and its production.

Since legalizing medical marijuana, California reported

758,607 residents obtained medical marijuana cards for ailments
ranging from cancer to anxiety.
In Santa Cruz, the sale of medical marijuana is a large
industry. In 2015 the 14 dispensaries in the city brought in a total
of $32 million dollars. That would equal about ten percent of the
countys entire general fund.

The California Marijuana Tax Fund

Money from accumulated taxes from Proposition 64,
predicted to be upward of $1 billion annually, will be deposited
into a fund to cover the initial costs of administering and
regulating marijuana usage as well as funding enforcement of
the new laws.
A portion of this tax will go toward drug research, especially to
measure the long-term impacts of the drug, which is why many
medical associations support Proposition 64.
If passed, $2 million per year will be allocated to the UC San
Diego Center for Medical Cannabis Research to study the affects
of medical marijuana.
The Santa Cruz County Medical Society said this research is
crucial because it will provide critical information related to the
possible health benefits or risks, the long term implications of
cannabis use on population health and the cost of healthcare to
society.
Remaining funds will be distributed among public safety
organizations 60 percent to drug education, prevention and
treatment youth programs, 20 percent to clean up environmental
damage from illegal marijuana producers and 20 percent to
programs that reduce driving under the influence of marijuana.

MEASURE D

Measure D: Tackling Transportation

Critics worry local measure focuses on wrong type of improvement

BY KATHRYN PALMER
Twelve years ago, former chair of the
Campaign for Sensible Transportation, Paul
Elerick, led the charge to vote down a local
measure to widen Highway 1. The push to widen
the highway has reappeared now with Measure
D, and this time around, Elerick is aligning
himself with those he once fought against.
When [Measure D] was proposed, it
sounded pretty good. It sounded like this is what
we need, Paul Elerick said.I ran into serious
opposition with the Campaign for Sensible
Transportation steering committee. I couldnt
work against this, so I resigned as co-chair.
Legislators crafted Measure D to mitigate
the transportation issues in the county. Their
plan for Highway 1 is the cornerstone project
and the point of biggest contention among the
opposition specifically Widening Wont Work,
an offspring of Elericks former group.
The measure proposes a half-cent increase
in sales tax for 30 years throughout the county,
potentially bringing in $17 million in added tax
revenue per year, totaling over $500 million.
Along with adding auxiliary lanes to Highway
1, it proposes several projects ranging from
pavement repair and pedestrian trailways to
providing accessible transportation for seniors
and people with disabilities.
Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation
Commission (SCCRTC) crafted Measure D. The
SCCRTC is staffed by all five members of the
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, three
appointees from the Santa Cruz Metropolitan
Transit Board of Directors, representatives
from each of the four cities and a non-voting
representative from the California Department
of Transportation (Caltrans).
County Supervisor Bruce McPherson said
solving the countys transportation issues
requires a multi-pronged approach and
congestion will only get worse if the highway is
not expanded.
There are 100,000 trips a day that are made
on Highway 1, McPherson said. If anyone

Caltrans and the Federal Highway

Administration. It claims the reports
findings prove auxiliary lanes wont
relieve congestion. However, in an
email, McPherson said the group is
selective in choosing numbers and
The battle against Highway 1
are using outdated figures.
expansion was waged before.
Aside from the interpretations
In 2004, Measure J, a sales tax
of the EIR, Widening Wont Work
increase to fund its construction,
believes the county shouldnt invest
received less than 50 percent
in automobile infrastructure projects
whatsoever.
of the vote. This time around,
Lets not waste money on a
Measure D bundles the expansion
project that doesnt work and actually
with other proposed projects
exacerbates congestion because its
like a trail, wildlife crossing
more automobile-centric. Lets put
that money into more sustainable
under Highway 17, local road
forms of transportation, Longinotti
improvements and investments in
said. This is 2016. We understand
bus transit.
climate change. Theres no excuse for
widening highways anywhere in the
thinks that you can put a transportation tax
world at this point.
measure without addressing something that
The groups website says a bill can be
affects 100,000 trips a day I dont buy it. Thats
passed without the highway widening project
just unreasonable.
that is environmentally friendly and effective
The measure has a long roster of in reducing urban sprawl. However, its strict
endorsements from local agencies, non-profits
opposition to the Highway 1 overshadows
and politicians, but support is not unanimous the other projects included in the measure,
among the Santa Cruz community.
which Longinotti expressed no issues with,
The 20 to 25 Santa Cruz residents who run
including a wildlife crossing under Highway
Widening Wont Work oppose the bill solely for 17 and the creation of a 32-mile coastal trail for
its proposed widening of Highway 1, a project
pedestrians, bicycles and non-auto transport.
that would cost a quarter of the total sales tax
The issue is the auxiliary lanes, and thats
revenue funds.
it, said Measure D supporter Paul Elerick.
Widening Wont Work spent the first half of
the year campaigning to remove the highway
expansion from the measure with no luck.
Now the group is campaigning against the
entire measure, even though current chair
Rick Longinotti said they support all the other
proposed projects.
As their name suggests, Widening Wont Work
argues adding auxiliary lanes wont help to ease
traffic congestion, citing a 2015 Environmental
Impact Report (EIR) jointly prepared by

CALIFORNIA

They ignore all the other good things people

need. They need the roads fixed and they need
money for metro, and they need bicycle lane
enhancements.
Although Widening Wont Work rejects
Measure D primarily on environmental grounds,
about a dozen local environmental groups
endorsed it, including the conservationist
nonprofit Land Trust of Santa Cruz County.
There are enough positives for the
environment, said Land Trust president Terry
Corwin. I think many of these [endorsing]
agencies and individuals made the same
decision the Land Trust has [because] this
actually has a lot for alternative transportation,
and we want to get something done.
Corwin hopes the measures projects will
incentivize people to get off the roads and
use alternate forms of transportation like the
proposed 32-mile trail that would connect
Davenport to Watsonville. The trail project
would create a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly
path parallel to the Coastal Rail Corridor.
Twelve years after the failure of the former
proposal, the widening of Highway 1 remains
a controversial issue among community
members. The last poll released in June showed
support for the measure hovering at 68 percent.
I saw [Measure D] as a fix to our roads,
giving bicyclists better facilities. Its going to
get something going with the rail, money to the
metro, Paul Elerick said. It seemed like a smart
thing to do.

Measure D Project Categories:

30%

Neighborhood &
Street Projects

*Percentage of annual tax revenue

17%

Coastal Rail Trail

8%

Rail corridor

25%
20%

Transit &
Paratransit

Highway corridors
expansion

SOURCE: Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission

CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 23

LOCAL MEASURES

On the
Local Ballot
Measures A, B and C:
School District Bond Measures
Measures A, B and C will each
issue bonds, with proceeds
dedicated to upgrading local
school classrooms and
facilities. Each measure
includes an individualized
list of projects that focus
on maintenance such as
renovating roofs and electrical
systems, improving school
safety, security and disabled access,
replacing portable rooms with permanent classrooms and
renovating facilities and classroom technology to support
school programs.
Measure A will issue $140 million in bonds, with
proceeds dedicated to supporting funding and
improvements for Santa Cruz city middle school and high
school districts. Measure B will issue $68 million in bonds,
with proceeds dedicated to repairing and upgrading Santa
Cruz city elementary school classrooms and facilities.
Finally, Measure C will provide $42 million in bonds, with
proceeds toward improving education
in the Soquel Union Elementary
School District. All three measure
funds may be matched by state
funds.

Pro:

Proponents of Measure A, B and C note that quality

schools make a difference in the community, and
current facilities are inadequate. These funds will be
independently overseen and annually audited, ensuring
that funds will not be distributed to administrator salaries.

Con:

Critics of these bond measures cite the burden the

costs place on taxpayers. With interest, Measure B bonds
will cost a total of over $115 million and Measure C bonds
will cost over $93 million, all to be paid by taxpayers. Costs
for Measure B and C will be allocated from an increased
property tax of $29.50 and $30, respectively, on every
$100,000 of a propertys value.

With the nonstop debates, shocking headlines and endless newsreels

of the presidential election, the battle between Donald Trump and Hillary
Clinton can feel all-consuming this November. But voters will also be
making crucial decisions on local ballot measures, with issues ranging
from public school funding to transportation improvements and road repair.

Measure D: Safety, Pothole

Repair, Traffic Relief, Transit
Improvement Measure
With recent Santa Cruz Metro Transit District (SCMTD)
cuts and an overcrowded commute into
the city of Santa Cruz, current UC
Santa Cruz students and local
commuters face increasing
difficulty getting to campus.
This measure establishes
a half-cent sales tax for 30
years, raising approximately
$17 million a year, to sustain
and improve current forms of
transportation. Measure D aims to
repave streets, fill potholes, mitigate traffic on Highway
1, maintain public transportation for senior and
disabled persons and provide residents with alternative
transportation options, including sidewalks, buses, bike
lanes and trails.

Measures E and I: Amendment

of the Cannabis Business Tax
Ordinance (Santa Cruz County
and City of Santa Cruz)
These measures will raise funds
to go towards operating Santa
Cruz County and the city of
Santa Cruzs services by revising
the definition of cannabis in the
Cannabis Business Tax Ordinance
to conform to state law and include
all aspects of medical cannabis business
in the county. The fiscal impact of these ballot measures
will
not affect taxable sales greatly.
Measure I may implement a small
increase at best, generating less
than $3,000 annually in taxes.

Pro:

Measure D is designed to repair streets, expand

safe bike routes, improve safety for children walking
and bicycling near schools, invest in environmentally
sustainable transportation projects and maintain current
rail corridor and senior and disabled transit options.
This project will add auxiliary lanes and over-crossings
for bicycles and pedestrians on Highway 1. With more
lanes, the measure intends to reduce traffic congestion,
thereby decreasing emergency vehicle response times,
cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions to cause less
environmental impact and decreasing collisions caused
by congestion.

Con:

According to measure opponents, the additional

highway lanes will not alleviate traffic congestion but may
add more vehicles to the highway by rerouting vehicles
from side streets. Some argue that this will not decrease
collisions and will continue insufficient funding for bus
services. The recent 12 percent cuts to SCMTD will not be
reestablished under this measure. Opponents ask Santa
Cruz residents to reject Measure D, and work towards
a more public transportation friendly measure in the
future.

Pro:

Measure I ensures fairness and easier administration

of the tax. It will not increase the tax rate or increase costs
to the consumer. Patients, caregivers and personal use
clients will not experience a difference.
Measure E respects the needs of medical patients
and established medical cannabis businesses. They
also protect neighborhoods and land from illegitimate
operators who may cause harm to our environment and
neighborhoods.
Measure E will not change the current tax rate or the
purposes for which the tax is used. All revenue collected
will go to the countys general budget for needs such as
fire fighting, local healthcare and animal shelters.

Con:

Approving the tax means people who are medical

marijuana patients are members of a political minority
group, that lacks the political power to overcome
discrimination, according to taxpayer Mike Boyd.

Measure G: Santa Cruz City Timing

of Selecting Mayor and Vice Mayor

Measure H: Santa Cruz City Water System

Measure G proposes
to clarify language in
the Section 604 of the
city charter to specify
that, on election
years, the mayor and
vice mayor positions
will be selected by city council on the
first meeting after the county elections
official has certified the general municipal
election results.

Measure H
proposes to amend
Section 1429 of
the city charter
to clarify the
support of longterm investment
in upgrades to the
Santa Cruz water system.

24 NOVEMBER 3

Pro: This adjustment clarifies any

confusing language to ensure that the

selection of the mayor and vice mayor
will follow official certification of election
results by the county clerk.

Con:

There is currently no known

opposition to this measure.

Pro:

This adjustment would strengthen

the ability of the city to provide funds
for grants and secure revenue bonds for
improvements to the water system.

Con:

There is currently no known

opposition to this measure.

LOCAL REPS

Representatives at
the State Level
State Senate and Assembly up for
re-election

With the presidential election drawing the majority

of media attention, local representatives tend to
get lost in the coverage. Representatives from
the California Senate 17th District, which covers
Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Monterey and San Luis
Obispo counties, and the California Assembly 29th
District covering Santa Cruz, part of Santa Clara
and Monterey counties, are up for re-election.
*Senate and Assembly Districts are divided by population,
and therefore do not align with counties or each other.

State
Assembly
District 29

Democrat
Mark Stone

Republican
Sierra Roberts

Voters elected Mark Stone to the

California Assembly in 2012, and he is the
current representative. While in office,
Stone served as chair of the Assembly
Judiciary Committee and chair of
Assembly Committee on Human Services.
Prior to being elected, he was a Santa
Cruz County supervisor, where he worked
on health care, education, youth issues
and the environment. Stone has made
improvements concerning child welfare
issues by leading policy decisions on foster
care and developmental disability services.
He fought illegal coastal development by
holding hearings, investigating threats to
the Pacific Ocean and working to prevent
oil spills and offshore fracking.

Sierra Roberts is a Republican from

Marina, California. She is an entrepreneur
and a graduate of California State
University, Monterey Bay.
Roberts
has run a low profile campaign, with
no information on her political views
anywhere to be found, including her
campaign website. However, she is polling
at 25 percent among likely voters.

Republican
Palmer Kain

Palmer Kain is the 2016 Republican

candidate running for the California
Senate 17th District. He ran for California
State Assembly in District 29 in 2014 but
was not elected. Kain is passionate about
civil liberties, the right to bear arms and
a small government. Prior to running for
the Senate and Assembly, Kain was in the
U.S. Army with the 1st Infantry Division,
graduated from Cabrillo College and went
on to receive his bachelors degree in
Israel. If elected, Kain hopes to put more
money into schools, keep non-violent
offenders out of our jails and prisons,
work to end the housing crisis and divert
tax dollars toward local needs.

Democrat
Bill Monning

Bill Monning, a Democrat and

Californias current state Senate majority
leader, is running for his second term
this fall. Monning, who represents Santa
Cruz, San Luis Obispo and part of Santa
Clara and Monterey counties in the 17th
District, got his start in politics in the
California Assembly after working as a law
professor in Monterey. In the Assembly, he
helped pass the California Health Benefits
Exchange (Covered California), which is a
state-operated version of the Affordable
Care Act. Since then, he has continued
to focus on public health and the
environment, co-authoring and passing
the End of Life Option Act, which allows
terminally ill adults to take life-ending
prescription drugs.

State
Senate
District 17

CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 25

EDITORIALS

A Vote for a Better Future

Our conditional endorsement of Hillary Clinton

We are in a time ongoing social progress and political change.

But todays political climate is brimming with accusations, hate,
lies and bigotry. After a long two-year election period, we are
left with two candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Yet
neither seems to fit what we envisioned two years ago.
There is still one clear choice. We at City on a Hill Press
endorse Hillary Clinton, not because she is the lesser of two evils
but because she is the most qualified to do the job.
Clinton embodies the traditional political dynasty, with ties
to two separate presidential administrations and friendships
with powerful banking groups like Goldman Sachs. But the same
experiences causing voters grief have given her the battle scars
and know-how to tackle the exceedingly difficult position of
commander-in-chief.
Her record in office is not without serious misgivings,
including issues of email server security, promoting U.S.
intervention in Libya and her implications of involvement with
the death of Honduran environmental activists. Shes far from the
perfect candidate. But if we are going to hold her accountable,
we must also review the qualifications of her primary opponent,
Donald Trump.
Unlike Clintons lengthy political resume, Donald Trump runs
a multibillion-dollar real-estate company catalyzed from his
massive family inheritance with a history of not paying contract
workers, losing investor funds and bankruptcies. This potential
president was accused of raping his first wife, is currently in a
civil trial for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl, and in the last six
months, at least 12 women have come forward accusing Trump
of sexual assault. Trump is racking up a long list of heinous
allegations.
We must also compare the future of our administration under
both candidates. The next commander-in-chief will face a series
of crucial issues such as nominating a new Supreme Court justice,
continuing or replacing the Affordable Care Act, addressing costs
of higher education and reforming campaign finance. Hillary
Clinton has far more qualifications and has the temperament to
manage these decisions.
With the vacated seat of Antonin Scalia, there is a chance to
appoint a justice in the most powerful court in the nation. The
next presidents choice for the Supreme Court will have a lasting
legacy that will continue long after they leave the White House.
Trumps campaign released a list of 21 potential justices,
including names like Sen. Mike Lee, who claimed minimum
wage, child labor laws and Social Security are unconstitutional.
Trumps candidates choices dont represent a conservative
ideology, they represent a dangerous and inaccurate
interpretation of the U.S. Constitution that could haunt the

country far beyond his presidency.

While Hillary Clinton has yet to release any potential
candidates, she has made it clear that her justice appointees
will support overturning the controversial Citizens United v. the
Federal Election Commission, protect reproductive
rights and ensure LGBTQIA+ civil liberties.
1011 PACIFIC AVE.
RESTAURANT
Trump is also considered the biggest threat to
831-429-4135
& NIGHTCLUB
the American economy. His plans to slash taxes
Saturday, Nov. 12
Thursday, November 3
would add as much as $10 trillion to the U.S. debt.
AGES 16+
In the Atrium AGES 21+
Analysts on both sides have predicted his policies
AGENT ORANGE plus The Atom Age
could launch the nation into a two-year recession,
Friday, November 4 AGES 16+
& Orleans Avenue
which would be the longest economic struggle
Saturday, November 12 In the Atrium AGES 16+
since the Great Depression.
DENZEL CURRY plus Boogie
Saturday, November 5 AGES 16+
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton intends to
Sunday, November 13 AGES 16+
massively reduce college debt, invest in clean
energy and early childhood education and expand
Saturday, November 5 In the Atrium AGES 21+ Sunday, November 13 In the Atrium AGES 16+
SIN SISTERS BURLESQUE
ASTRONAUTALIS
the Affordable Care Act. Thanks to a series of
Sunday, November 6 AGES 16+
Monday, November 14 In the Atrium AGES 16+
tactical tax plans, her current economic package
MOON HOOCH plus Honeycomb
would essentially add no national debt.
Tuesday, November 15 In the Atrium AGES 21+
In truth, Hillary Clinton is not the general
Sunday, November 6 In the Atrium AGES 16+
VEKTOR plus Black Fast
FISHBONE plus Monkey
publics dream president. But her vision for the
Nov 17 Escape The Fate (Ages 16+)
Tuesday, November 8 In the Atrium AGES 16+ Nov 19 Yelawolf/ Bubba Sparxxx (Ages 16+)
country offers so much more hope for our nation.
STARRO plus DJ Shea Butter
Nov 20 Gogol Bordello (Ages 16+)
And hers is a dream for a country not filled with
Wednesday, November 9 In the Atrium AGES 16+ Nov 23 The Expendables (Ages 21+)
accusations, excuses and ultimately hate.
Nov 25 Rising Appalachia (Ages 16+)
MAX FROST plus The Young Wild
Thursday, November 10 In the Atrium AGES 16+ Nov 26 Minnesota/ Space Jesus (Ages 18+)
Clinton offers potential campaign finance
Dec 2 Beats Antique (Ages 16+)
KATASTRO plus Mouse Powell
reform, protection of civil liberties and expansion
Dec 3 SesHolloWaterBoys (Ages 16+)
Friday, November 11 AGES 16+
Dec 4 Living Legends (Ages 16+)
of social welfare programs that benefit the entire
Dec 5 Brothers Osborne (Ages 16+)
nation. If Trump stands by even a fraction of the
Dec 8 Kabaka Pyramid/ Raging Fyah (Ages 16+)
Friday, November 11 In the Atrium AGES 21+ Dec 9 Hari Kondabolu (Ages 21+)
misogyny, racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and
Unless otherwise noted, all shows are dance shows with limited seating.
UNWRITTEN LAW plus 3upfront
lies that he has spewed on the campaign trail,
Tickets subject to city tax & service charge by phone 877-987-6487 & online
his possible presidency would certainly promote

TROMBONE SHORTY

KELLY LEUNG

In truth, Hillary Clinton is not the general

publics dream president. But her vision
for the country offers so much more hope
for our nation. And hers is a dream for
a country not filled with accusations,
excuses and ultimately hate.

COLT FORD

NGHTMRE

CHERUB

POST MALONE

CLASSIXX

www.catalystclub.com

26 NOVEMBER 3

divisiveness and dangerous action against communities

throughout the country.
We cannot allow Donald Trump to lead our country. And right
now, it is entirely possible. A few weeks ago Clinton had over an
80 percent probability of winning, and many across the country
sighed in relief.
But with the reopening of her private email investigation,
Clintons numbers have plummeted dangerously low, below
those of Trump. Currently, a poll by The Washington Post and
ABC news has Donald Trump leading by one point. Now is a more
crucial time than ever.
So, while we at City on a Hill Press do not ask voters to overlook
Clintons controversies and flaws, we endorse Hillary Clinton for
president. She offers far greater stability and a stronger future for
the nation. A vote for Trump is a vote for devastating financial
turmoil, massive cuts to crucial social welfare programs and a
legitimization of his bigotry and downright stupidity.

Confusion on the California Ballot

Large number of propositions perplexing voters
Proposition 52 supports an existing hospital
fee. But due to its dense content and language,
it has been described as its own worst enemy
by the San Francisco Chronicle.
On Nov. 8, California voters will cast their
ballots on Proposition 52 and 17 others full of
political jargon. Issues range from tax proposals
and legalization of Marijuana to background
checks for ammunition and the death penalty.
This spectrum wields significant power
in the lives of all Californians. Of the 17
propositions, at least three sets of them oppose
one another. This adds an entire new obstacle
to the state voter.
Proposition 62 and 66 are one of these pairs.
Voting yes on Proposition 62 will abolish the
current death penalty system. While voting
yes on Proposition 66, will speed up the
appeal process for inmates, hoping to get them
off death row sooner.
In a polling experiment done by Capitol
Weekly, a little over a month ago, 2,637 voters
were given three different versions of a mock
California ballot.
The results showed of the 92 percent of
people who voted yes on Proposition 66, 40
percent of those same supporters voted in
favor of Proposition 66. This discrepancy can
be explained by the complicated nature of each
propositions and the ballots layout.
On the ballot itself, the measures are split
up, rather than side by side. This design can
confuse voters on the difference between a
yes and no vote, and how its not as simple
as one proposition being opposed to the other.
Based on the results of Capitol Weeklys
study, there is a significant disconnect
between how voters intend to cast their votes,
and their actual votes.
The two other sets of propositions include
a ban on plastic bags and measures to increase
or decrease taxation and bond revenue. The
studys results followed the same pattern, with
voters supporting the opposite of what they
intended to support.
Beyond
the
complex
propositions
themselves, their language poses a problem for
voters in understanding what theyre voting for.
Theres a barrier between the voter and
ballot theyre at an immediate disadvantage,
unable to digest the text, and this leads to polls
not accurately representing the population
creating a false reflection of the states values.
With issues like the death penalty, which
deal with human lives, and often innocent
ones, its disturbing and unacceptable that
a few misinterpreted words can determine
whether someone lives or dies.
Help America Vote Act (HAVA), enacted in
2002 by President George W. Bush, was created
to improve federal voting systems. HAVA led
to the formation of the Election Assistance
Commission (EAC) intended to clarify
information on election laws and procedures.
The current expectation of voters is to read
through glossaries provided by the EAC, which
contain 1,843 terms and phrases used in
the administration of elections in the United
States, according to a statement by the EAC.
This resource is intended for non-English
speakers, and it includes terms like split

precinct, hanging chads and marksense

which many English speakers
themselves arent familiar with.
Rather
than
providing
pages
of
translations,
vocabulary should be
made accessible to
the average person.
Because
of
the
current
system,
voters are more
susceptible
to
voting on the
wrong measure.
Under
the
Av a i l a b l e
Resources tab on
EACs voter guide,
theres a checklist
of things to do before
election day, with no
sign of resources to
address the problem of not
understanding the diction
of ballot measures. The only
advice is to become acquainted
with the candidates and issues on the
ballot.
Yes, voters must research the propositions
and place orders for Official Voter Information
Guides if they want physical copies prior to
election day. When there are measures that
directly contradict one another, some so
confusing they may not pass and others worded
deceitfully research is not enough.
It is the responsibility of political leaders
to address the confusion on the ballot and
propose necessary alterations, while it is in the
hands of proposition writers to provide clear
and legible descriptions and instructions.
Secretary of State Alex Padilla introduces the
online version of the Official Voter Information
Guide on the California secretary of states
website, with a short letter urging people to
vote.
Through voting, you help select your local,
state and national leaders, and ensure that
your voice is heard, Padillas letter reads. [...]
I encourage you to participate in your most
fundamental right as a citizen of the United
States of America.
But if we cannot correctly vote on ballot
measures, then how is our voice to be heard?
This is disenfranchisement without an
accurate representation of all perspectives
on the framework of our state and country,
we cannot exercise an important democratic
freedom and privilege.
With the combination of both the largest
number of measures on a ballot since 2000 and
over 300,000 people registered to vote as of Oct.
24, theres a lot of content on the ballot as well
as new voters who might not be as familiar with
it.
If voters run into similar problems on
the upcoming election day as they did in
the Capitol Weekly poll experiment, theres a
chance the results could be skewed. This would
not only reflect poorly on our values, but would
ultimately do a disservice to democracy itself.

ANNA MCGREW

Theres a barrier between the voter

and ballot theyre at an immediate
disadvantage, unable to digest the text,
and this leads to polls not accurately
representing the population creating a
false reflection of the states values.

CITYONAHILLPRESS.COM 27

ADVERTISEMENT

Your 2016 Santa Cruz Voting Guide

Students for a Progressive City endorse the following candidates and issues on the November 2016 ballot in Santa Cruz

PRESIDENT & VP
HILLARY CLINTON
& TIM KAINE

U.S. CONGRESS, 20TH DISTRICT

JIMMY PANETTA

Record of service to community and country

Protecting our environment, from agriculture
tocoastline
Working to improve schools and make
collegeaffordable; UCSC Foundation board
Helping veterans and families
Making our communities safer

U.S. SENATE
KAMALA HARRIS
STATE SENATE
BILL MONNING
STATE ASSEMBLY MARK STONE

JimmyPanettaforCongress.com

SANTA CRUZ CITY COUNCIL

College Democrats at UCSC, Public Safety, GLBT Alliance, and the Locally Owned Business Alliance ALL support:

jmbrown.org

cynthiamathews.com

singletonforsantacruz.com

martinewatkins.com

RepairSantaCruzSchools.com
Measures A & B will help upgrade and repair classrooms, science labs and educational
technology in our aging local schools. Safe, modern school facilities will keep pace with
21st century instruction, preparing students for college and careers. Allfunds stay local.

GetSantaCruzCountyMoving.org
Measures E G H & I

Marijuana Tax & City Charter Clean-Up

Whether we travel by foot, bicycle, car or bus, we all agree it should be safer, faster and
easier to get around. Measure D supports a balanced mix of investments: street repairs,
safer bike and pedestrian routes, improved transit, and traffic congestion relief.

PAID FOR BY: Students for a Progressive City, Jimmy Panetta for Congress, Cynthia Mathews for City Council 2016, Martine Watkins for City Council 2016, Robert Singleton for City Council 2016,
J.M. Brown for City Council 2016, Get Santa Cruz County Moving 2016, Steve Reed for Port Commissioner 2016, D.L Smith and R.N. Smith, Darren Gertler and Mike Rotkin.

28 NOVEMBER 3