Tuesday’s midterm elections brought victory for Democrats, but Californians focused on propositions and the governor.
JAIMIE FRANKLIN
News Assistant
Democrats gained control of the House of Representatives for the first time since 1994, and the outcome of the Senate race remains too close to call.
Although they needed only 15 seats to take control, Democrats managed to gain 26 seats in the House, with Nancy Pelosi (D-California) poised to become the first female Speaker of the House.
Democrats now have 50 seats in the Senate, with the Virginia race hanging in the balance. Results are extremely close, showing Democratic challenger Jim Web ahead by fewer than 7,500 votes. The Virginia State Board of Elections announced it would not confirm the outcome of the election until Nov. 27.
“I’m not surprised,” freshman Zach Parsons said.
Freshman Nathan Welch had a different view.
“I have mixed feelings,” he said. “I think that this was the backlash from republicans moving away from their conservative side.”
In the California race, incumbent Arnold Schwarzenegger was re-elected as governor in a landslide victory over Democratic Candidate Phil Angelides, receiving 56 percent of votes as opposed to Angelides’ 39 percent.
Freshman Lauren Hartley, a Virginian native, said she was in disbelief when Schwarzenegger was elected three years ago. However, her opinion has since changed.
“I think he’s been able to win because he’s been very bipartisan since he came into the system not having much of a [political] background,” she said. “He’s been able to operate within both parties.”
Democrats took every other office but Insurance Commissioner, in which Republican Steve Poizner defeated Democrat Cruz Bustamante by an 11 percent margin.
Propositions 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E were all passed as part of the “Let’s Rebuild California” campaign laid out by Gov. Schwarzenegger. The measures are meant to improve and repair state infrastructure in preparation for massive population growth projected in California over the next two decades.
Prop. 1A is a legislative constitutional amendment protecting transportation funding. It limits gasoline sales tax to be spent only on transportation improvements, except in times of “severe state fiscal hardship,” according to the official voter information guide.
1B is a $19.9 billion bond measure to increase highway safety, reduce traffic, and improve air quality and port security.
1C is the Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act, issuing $2.8 billion in bonds to provide clean, affordable housing and homeownership assistance for the needy.
An additional $10.4 billion in bonds was approved in 1D for public education funding to relieve overcrowding and repair outdated school buildings.
1E appropriates $4 billion in bonds to better prepare California for natural disasters, including flood control structures to protect homes, as well as repairing levees to protect the drinking water supply.
Prop 83 was passed, increasing penalties for violent and habitual sex offenders. The statute will prohibit registered sex offenders from residing within 2,000 feet of any school or park and will require all felony sex offenders to wear a lifetime GPS monitoring device. The definition of a sexually violent predator will be expanded as well, and mandatory minimum sentences instituted.
Prop. 84 was passed, authorizing $5.4 billion in bonds to fund projects relating to water quality, flood control, natural resource protection and park improvements.
Prop. 85 was perhaps the most controversial measure on the ballot, requiring a waiting period and parental notification before performing a minor’s abortion. It was struck down by voters.
Prop. 86 was struck down as well, and would have instituted a $2.60 tax on each pack of cigarettes sold in the state in order to increase hospital funding and youth prevention programs.
Prop. 87 would have established a $4 billion dollar program to fund alternative energy research through an additional tax on companies that extract oil in California. Voters struck the down the initiative over fears of higher gas prices and more reliance on foreign oil.
A state constitutional amendment requiring a yearly $50 parcel tax on all property in order to fund K-12 education under Prop. 88 was struck down by voters.
Voters struck down Prop 89, which would have increased the income tax rate on corporations and financial institutions to provide public funding for state political campaigns. It would have also limited campaign contributions from lobbyists and other organizations.
Prop. 90 addressed the issue of eminent domain and would have barred state and local governments from condemning private property for other private uses. The measure was not passed.
11-09-2006