ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 14

PROPOSITION 14: STEM CELL TREATMENTS, CURES, AND SAVING LIVES. Nearly half of all California families include a child or adult with medical conditions who could benefit from Stem Cell research, treatments, and cures.

Prop. 14 provides continued funding to develop treatments, advance clinical trials and achieve new scientific breakthroughs for California’s patients with Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, HIV/AIDS, ALS, MS, Sickle Cell Disease, Lung Diseases, Kidney Disease, Bubble Baby Disease, Age–Related Blindness and Genetic Blindness, Epilepsy, Stroke, Schizophrenia, Autism, other Mental Health and Brain Conditions, and Infectious Diseases like COVID–19.

BUILDING ON CONTINUING SUCCESS: 92 FDA–APPROVED CLINICAL TRIALS / 2,900 MEDICAL DISCOVERIES TO DATE. California’s original Stem Cell funding, which runs out this year, has already led to significant progress in the development of treatments and cures, including 92 FDA–approved clinical trials for chronic disease and injuries, over 2,900 medical discoveries, and demonstrated benefits for patients and research on chronic diseases including: Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Conditions, Blindness, HIV/AIDS, ALS, Children with Immune Deficiencies, Paralysis, and Kidney Disease.

SUCCESS STORIES OF CALIFORNIA PATIENTS TREATED INCLUDE: • A high school student paralyzed in a diving accident has regained upper body function. • A mother blinded by a genetic disease is regaining her eyesight. • A cure was discovered for a fatal disease that causes children to be born without functioning immune systems. • FDA-approved treatments for two types of fatal blood cancers. Hear from more patients at www.YESon14.com/successes

SUPPORTED BY OVER 70 PATIENT ADVOCATE ORGANIZATIONS. A YES vote on Prop. 14 is endorsed by the University of California, NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS, leading patient and medical science advocates, and more than 70 PATIENT ADVOCATE ORGANIZATIONS, including: American Association for Cancer Research • American Diabetes Association • Leukemia & Lymphoma Society • Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation • The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research • ALS Association, Golden West Chapter • CURE—Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy • One Mind • Immune Deficiency Foundation • Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement • Alzheimer’s Los Angeles • Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation for Paralysis • Cystic Fibrosis Research, Inc. • Arthritis Foundation • Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California • Foundation for Fighting Blindness • San Francisco AIDS Foundation

"Prop. 14 builds on California's progress to date, helping to accelerate medical breakthroughs out of the lab and into clinical trials, where they can help improve and save patient lives." —Dr. Adriana Padilla, Fresno

INCREASES PATIENT ACCESS & AFFORDABILITY. Dedicates "The Treatment and Cures Accessibility and Affordability Working Group" experts to dramatically expand access to clinical trials and new therapies, make treatments and cures more affordable for Californians, and provide patients, their families, and caregivers with financial assistance.

ECONOMIC AND JOBS RECOVERY STIMULUS. New revenues, economic activity and jobs are generated by this funding that will contribute to California's economic recovery. There are no State bond payments during the first five years; and, supporting California's Stem Cell program will only cost the State an average of less than $5 per person annually.

ENSURES STRICT ACCOUNTABILITY & TRANSPARENCY. California's Controller chairs The Citizens Financial Accountability Oversight Committee, which reviews independent, financial, and performance audits, of the funding Institute. The Institute complies with California's Open Meeting Act, Public Records Act, and Political Reform Act.

Chronic diseases, conditions and injuries are cutting lives short, and costing Californians billions in healthcare costs. We must continue our investment, developing Stem Cell treatments to improve the health and reduce the suffering of millions of Californians.

VOTE YES ON 14. IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE OR THE LIFE OF SOMEONE YOU LOVE. www.YESon14.com

ANTONI RIBAS, M.D., Ph.D., President

American Association for Cancer Research

CYNTHIA E. MUÑOZ, Ph.D., MPH, President

American Diabetes Association–Los Angeles

ROBERT A. HARRINGTON, M.D., Chairman

Department of Medicine, Stanford University

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 14

VOTE NO ON PROP. 14

HUGE COSTS

As you can see from reading the ballot argument above, proponents are attempting to minimize the cost of this initiative.

The total cost is actually $7.3 billion—a huge sum during this moment of economic crisis, with soaring unemployment and budget shortfalls.

FAILED PROMISES

Proponents are making empty promises about revenues and jobs.

The San Francisco Chronicle examined similar promises made to California voters years ago—and concluded the “predicted windfall has not materialized.”

Independent experts and news outlets have questioned the management and transparency record of the state bureaucracy that would spend the billions authorized by Prop. 14.

Only a few federally approved therapies have resulted from the $3 billion this state bureaucracy has spent to date.

NOT THE ANSWER

Medical research is important. We all agree there is a need to find cures and treatments for diseases afflicting so many.

But Prop. 14 is not the answer.

The federal government and private investors are spending billions to find cures.

The State of California taxpayer has done enough.

Vote NO on Prop. 14.

VINCENT FORTANASCE, M.D.

PATRICK JAMES BAGGOT, M.D.

ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 14

WE CAN'T AFFORD TO WASTE BILLIONS

In the middle of an economic crisis, with soaring unemployment and budget shortfalls in the tens of billions of dollars, we don’t have money to burn.

We simply cannot afford the $5 billion that proponents of Prop. 14 are asking for.

And that's on top of the nearly $3 billion this troubled state agency has spent over the past 15 years—with poor results.

After "an extensive analysis" of spending by the State agency handing out billions in grants, the San Francisco Chronicle concluded: "The predicted financial windfall has not materialized." Only a few federally approved therapies have resulted.

Don't believe the "economic impact" numbers from the proponents of Prop. 14.

That "impact" includes:

More than $100 million in grants to private companies headquartered in other states.

More than $2.4 million in salary over the past decade to the part–time vice chairman of the board, a former California legislator who is neither a doctor nor a medical scientist.

Outrageous.

PROP. 14 FUNDS A BUREAUCRACY WITH SERIOUS PROBLEMS

Some have questioned "the integrity and independence" of the state agency overseeing these funds.

The Little Hoover Commission branded Robert Klein, the former chairman of the agency’s board, "a lightning rod for calls for more accountability."

The Center for Society and Genetics in Berkeley has concluded that none of the flaws in the original stem cell initiative have been addressed in Prop. 14. In fact, they conclude, the problems are even worse.

OTHERS CAN DO THIS JOB BETTER

The National Institute of Health provides $1.5 billion a year in grants to fund the same type of research.

Private investors and companies, including many in California, have made great strides in using stem cells to cure diseases—using private funds, not tax dollars.

And don't be misled by the handful of grants this agency has made in recent months to researchers working on COVID–19. It's an obvious attempt—after spending billions on other priorities—to mislead voters in the middle of this pandemic.

PROP. 14 MEANS HIGHER TAXES, LAYOFFS—OR BOTH

Read the nearby summary, which quotes the estimate by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst: "State costs of $7.8 billion to pay off principal ($5.5 billion) and interest ($2.3 billion) on the bonds."

Paying back Prop.14's costs of $7.8 billion could mean huge tax increases—at a time when our economy is on its knees.

Or laying off thousands of nurses and other heroes who do the real work of keeping California healthy.

VOTE NO ON PROP. 14.

WE CAN'T AFFORD TO WASTE BILLIONS

VINCENT FORTANASCE, M.D.

PATRICK JAMES BAGGOT, M.D.

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST
PROPOSITION 14

Nobel Prize winning medical researchers, doctors, and 70 patient advocate organizations have studied Prop. 14 and urge A YES VOTE.

• Stem Cell Research is a critical area of medical advancement that is discovering therapy breakthroughs and cures for currently incurable diseases and injuries.

• The United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) has partnered with California’s Stem Cell Funding Institute to advance therapies because of California's track record of success.

• Funding research for new therapies and cures is from bonds, not a tax. Average cost to State equals less than $5 per person annually, with no state payments until 2026, the 6th year of California's economic recovery.

• These new treatments and cures could restore health and reduce healthcare costs for Californians.

• California funding is essential; funding from Washington, DC is unpredictable and unreliable.

Opponents ignore years of the funding institute’s progress, including over 2,900 medical discoveries and 92 FDA–Approved Clinical Trials, and high marks from the Citizen’s Financial Accountability Oversight Committee, Chaired by California’s Controller.

ECONOMIC JOB RECOVERY STIMULUS—PROVEN HISTORY

The University of Southern California Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics issued a 2019 report validating hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue, $10.7 billion in economic stimulus, and tens of thousands of new jobs, created by California's Stem Cell funding. This history demonstrates Prop. 14 will provide an Economic Job Recovery Stimulus.

SUPPORTED BY 70 PATIENT ADVOCATE ORGANIZATIONS, THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, AND SCIENTISTS, INCLUDING: American Association for Cancer Research • American Diabetes Association • Leukemia & Lymphoma Society • Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation • ALS Association, Golden West Chapter • CURE—Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy • One Mind • Immune Deficiency Foundation • Beyond Type I • Women's Alzheimer’s Movement • Alzheimer's Los Angeles • Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation for Paralysis • Cystic Fibrosis Research, Inc. • Arthritis Foundation • Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California • Foundation for Fighting Blindness • San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

VOTE YES ON 14. IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE OR THE LIFE OF SOMEONE YOU LOVE.

TODD SHERER, Ph.D., CEO

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

LAWRENCE GOLDSTEIN, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor

Shiley–Marcos Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of California, San Diego

TRACY GRIKSCHEIT, M.D., Chief of Pediatric Surgery

Children's Hospital Los Angeles