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Propositions

Link to California Secretary of State Website

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PROP
23

SUSPENDS IMPLEMENTATION OF AIR POLLUTION CONTROL LAW (AB 32) REQUIRING MAJOR SOURCES OF EMISSIONS TO REPORT AND REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE GLOBAL WARMING, UNTIL UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS TO 5.5 PERCENT OR LESS FOR FULL YEAR. INITIATIVE STATUTE.

ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 23

THE PROBLEM: CALIFORNIA'S GLOBAL WARMING MANDATES ARE ON THE WRONG TRACK

Climate change is a serious issue that should be addressed thoughtfully and responsibly. However, now is not the time to implement AB32, California's costly global warming law, especially since the California Air Resources Board (CARB) acknowledges AB32 cannot “change the course of climate change.”

California already has a $20 billion deficit and leads the nation in lost jobs, home foreclosures and debt. Implementing AB32 will cost taxpayers and consumers billions and destroy over a million jobs. Voters must stop these self–imposed energy cost increases that will further damage our economy and families.

THE SOLUTION: PROPOSITION 23

Proposition 23 suspends AB32 until the economy improves. It preserves California's strict environmental laws but protects us from dramatically higher energy costs. Proposition 23 saves jobs, prevents a tax increase, maintains environmental protections and helps families during these tough economic times.

PROPOSITION 23 SAVES BILLIONS IN HIGHER ENERGY TAXES AND COSTS

California's poor, working and middle class families are dealing with lost jobs, fewer hours and furloughs. California households cannot afford $3800 a year in higher AB32 costs.

“AB 32 will cause California households to face higher prices both directly for electricity, natural gas, and gasoline, and indirectly as businesses pass costs for GHG reduction on to consumers.” —CARB's Economic Allocation and Advisory Committee

PROPOSITION 23 SAVES OVER ONE MILLION CALIFORNIA JOBS

Other countries and states prudently postponed implementing their global warming laws until economic conditions improve.

Without Proposition 23 higher energy prices will hit small businesses and employers, forcing more lay–offs and business closures.

Other countries that passed global warming laws experienced a loss of two blue collar jobs for every one green job created.

Proposition 23 saves over a million at–risk jobs, including high–paying blue collar and union jobs, and doesn't limit green job creation.

PROPOSITION 23 PRESERVES CALIFORNIA'S STRICT PUBLIC HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS

California has the toughest environmental laws in the country. Proposition 23 doesn't weaken or repeal the hundreds of laws that protect the environment, reduce air pollution, keep our water clean and protect public health.

Proposition 23 applies to greenhouse gas emissions, which CARB concedes “have no direct public health impacts.”

PROPOSITION 23 PROTECTS ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES

By stopping higher energy costs, Proposition 23 helps protect funding when community budgets are dangerously stretched—keeping teachers in our classrooms and firefighters on the street.

“Public safety is our top priority. Proposition 23 is essential to help protect funding for firefighters, law enforcement and emergency medical services.” —Kevin Nida, President, California State Firefighters' Association

PROPOSITION 23 EMPOWERS VOTERS NOT BUREAUCRATS

CARB's unelected political appointees want to impose hidden taxes without voter approval. Proposition 23 lets voters, not bureaucrats, decide when we implement California's costly global warming law.

Proposition 23's common–sense, fiscally responsible approach is a win–win for California's families, economy and environment.

JOIN TAXPAYERS, FIREFIGHTERS, LOCAL OFFICIALS, ENERGY COMPANIES, FARMERS AND BUSINESSES TO SAVE JOBS AND PROTECT CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY.

YES ON PROPOSITION 23

Yeson23.com

KEVIN NIDA, President
California State Firefighters' Association
JOHN KABATECK, Executive Director
National Federation of Independent Business/California
JON COUPAL, President
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association

 

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 23

Two Texas oil companies paid millions of dollars to put Prop. 23 on the ballot, and are paying millions more to promote Prop. 23 with a deceptive campaign.

There's much more than climate change at stake … Prop. 23 threatens public health and our economy.

Prop. 23 is a Dirty Energy Proposition that would:

  • Kill vitally needed clean energy and air pollution standards.
  • Kill competition from California's wind, solar and alternative fuel companies.
  • Jeopardize nearly 500,000 jobs in California.
  • Result in higher energy costs for consumers.

RESPECTED ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS WARN PROP. 23 is DECEPTIVE, DANGEROUS, and COSTLY.

Dr. Charles D. Kolstad, Chair, Department of Economics, University of California-Santa Barbara:

“Prop. 23 will not help the California economy. In fact, Prop. 23 will cause the loss of California jobs in the clean energy field, one sector of our economy producing significant job growth.”

The League of Women Voters of California:

“Claims by its promoters that 23 would only be in place for a short time are FALSE. Prop. 23 effectively repeals clean energy and air pollution standards indefinitely, and jeopardizes dozens of regulations that promote energy efficiency and pollution reduction.”

American Lung Association in California:

“Prop. 23 would allow polluters to avoid laws that require them to reduce harmful greenhouse gases and air pollution. 23 is a serious threat to public health.”

Look into the FACTS, and Vote NO on 23.

www.StopDirtyEnergyProp.com

LOU PAULSON, President
California Professional Firefighters
JANE WARNER, President
American Lung Association in California
DR. CHARLES D. KOLSTAD, Chairman
Department of Economics, University of California-Santa Barbara

ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 23

TEXAS OIL COMPANIES DESIGNED PROP. 23 to KILL CALIFORNIA CLEAN ENERGY and AIR POLLUTION STANDARDS.

Big Texas oil companies and state politicians who receive oil company money designed Prop. 23 to repeal clean energy and air pollution standards in California.

Those oil companies are spending millions on a DECEPTIVE CAMPAIGN to promote Prop. 23 because 23 would allow them and other polluters to escape accountability and increase their profits.

PROP. 23 is a DIRTY ENERGY PROPOSITION that MEANS MORE AIR POLLUTION and INCREASED HEALTH RISKS—Vote NO.

Prop. 23's main backers, the Valero and Tesoro oil companies, are among the worst polluters in California. They're using 23 to repeal portions of the health and safety code that require them to reduce air pollution at their California refineries.

“Prop. 23 would result in more air pollution that would lead to more asthma and lung disease, especially in children and seniors. Vote NO.” —American Lung Association in California

PROP. 23 is a JOB KILLER—THREATENING HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of CALIFORNIA JOBS.

Across California, clean energy companies are sprouting up and building wind and solar power facilities that provide us with clean power, built right here by California workers.

By repealing clean energy laws, Prop. 23 would put many of these California companies out of business, kill a homegrown industry that is creating hundreds of thousands of California jobs, and damage our overall economy.

“California is the hub of innovation and investment in clean energy technologies and businesses. But Prop. 23 would reverse the state's clean energy laws, jeopardizing billions in economic growth and hundreds of thousands of jobs.”—Sue Kateley, Executive Director, California Solar Energy Industries Association, representing more than 200 solar energy small businesses.

The independent, nonpartisan Legislative Analyst Office says 23 could “dampen additional investment in clean energy technologies by private firms, thereby resulting in less economic activity than otherwise would be the case.”

PROP. 23 WOULD JEOPARDIZE:

  • 12,000 California–based clean energy businesses
  • Nearly 500,000 existing California clean energy jobs
  • More than $10 billion in private investment in California

PROP. 23 WOULD KEEP US ADDICTED to COSTLY OIL—Vote NO.

By killing incentives for clean energy, 23 reduces choices for consumers already facing high gas and electricity costs.

“Prop. 23 would keep consumers stuck on costly oil and subject consumers to spiking energy prices.”—Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports Magazine

OUR OIL ADDICTION THREATENS NATIONAL SECURITY. PROP. 23 MAKES IT WORSE.

Prop. 23 would harm efforts to reduce our dependence on foreign oil that comes from countries that support terrorism and are hostile to the United States.

JOIN PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCATES, CLEAN ENERGY COMPANIES and SMALL BUSINESSES: VOTE NO on 23.

Prop. 23 is OPPOSED by:

  • American Lung Association in California
  • Coalition for Clean Air
  • AARP
  • League of Women Voters of California
  • More than 50 leading environmental organizations
  • LA Business Council
  • More than 200 solar and wind energy companies
  • Hundreds of other businesses across California

STOP the TEXAS OIL COMPANIES' DIRTY ENERGY PROPOSITION.

Vote NO on 23.

www.StopDirtyEnergyProp.com

JANE WARNER, President
American Lung Association in California
LINDA ROSENSTOCK, M.D., Dean
UCLA School of Public Health
DAVID PACHECO, President
AARP California

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 23

DON'T BE MISLED

Proposition 23 only impacts California's global warming law. Opponents never mention global warming because the law won't reduce global warming.

VOTERS HAVE A CHOICE

YES on 23 saves jobs, prevents energy tax increases, and helps families, while preserving California's clean air and water laws.

NO on 23 imposes a massive energy tax on consumers, kills over a million jobs, and doesn't reduce global warming.

PROPOSITION 23 PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH

Proposition 23 temporarily postpones greenhouse gas regulations, which have no direct public health impacts. It doesn't affect laws protecting air and water quality or laws combating asthma and lung disease.

PROPOSITION 23 SAVES JOBS, DOESN'T DISCOURAGE GREEN JOBS

Other states without our global warming law have stronger wind energy and renewable fuels industries than California.

2.3 million Californians are unemployed and Prop. 23 will save over a million jobs that would otherwise be eliminated.

YES ON 23—CALIFORNIA CAN'T AFFORD NEW ENERGY TAXES

Proposition 23 saves poor and working families from $3800 annually in increased prices for everyday necessities, including HIGHER:

  • electricity and natural gas bills
  • gasoline prices
  • food prices

YES ON 23—JOIN CONSUMERS, TAXPAYERS, SMALL BUSINESS AND FAMILIES

Proposition 23's diverse coalition includes:

  • California State Firefighters Association
  • California Small Business Association
  • National Tax Limitation Committee
  • Construction workers
  • Local air quality officials

OTHER STATES AND COUNTRIES POSTPONED THEIR GLOBAL WARMING LAWS TO PROTECT THEIR ECONOMIES, CALIFORNIA SHOULD TOO.

CALIFORNIA CAN'T AFFORD A SELF-IMPOSED GLOBAL WARMING TAX THAT WON'T REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING!

www.yeson23.com

BRAD MITZELFELT, Governing Board Member
Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District
J. ANDREW CALDWELL, Executive Director
The Coalition of Labor, Agriculture & Business
JAMES W. KELLOGG, International Representative United Association
   of Journeymen and Apprentices
   of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry

Arguments printed on this page are the opinions of the authors and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency.

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