Local forum helps clear up confusing CA propositions

About 100 people filled the Park Hall in Ben Lomond to gain a better understanding about the 17 California propositions on the November 8th ballot.

“Some are very confusing,” said Santa Cruz resident George Wylie.

“There’s a lot of distorted advertising, misleading advertising going on,” said Peter Gelbum with the Valley Women’s Club of the San Lorenzo Valley.

“It is a lot to take in,” said event attendee Haley Sage.

Propositions include the death penalty, legalizing marijuana, plastic bag use and even requiring adult film actors to wear condoms.

“There’s two about paper bags, both of them sponsored by the paper bag industry,” said Gelbum. “On is good or bad if you’re progressive and you want to get rid of single use bags. But it’s very, very difficult to parse it out.”

California Secretary of Natural Resources John Laird took on the task of spelling everything out, which he admitted was not an easy thing to do.

“I think the thing that happens with ballot measures is they appear to be one thing and then when you actually get into them they’re actually another,” said Laird.

Laird spent about five minutes on each proposition, first summarizing it. The Secretary then went over the arguments from both sides, initiatives and fundraising reports.

“I think some of these were designed to depress voter turnout,” said Laird. “Don’t fall for it. Get out there and express yourself. That’s the important thing.”

“I took notes,” said Sage. “I know how I’ll vote,”