There's an election coming up on the 8th.
Local elections and a special state election that was declared.

Here is my personal slate. Let's start with the special ballot propositions.

Prop 73: Yes-Parental consent must be required for minors to recieve abortions, it's a no-brainer. I admit it doesn't go as far as I'd like it to, but some lives shall be saved.

Prop 74: Yes-Though school reform measures are usually moot from where I stand, this reform is actually worth a try. It will increase the probationary period for teachers to recieve lifetime tenure from two years to five years. In my thirteen years of experience with the government school system, I have encountered many crummy teachers who have benefitted from the current system.

Prop 75: Yes-I enthusiastically supported the Paycheck Protection Act in 1998 (back when it was known as Prop 226) and I enthusiastically support it now. It puts power in the hands of workers and out of the hands of those glorified protection racketeers, the union organizers.

Prop 76: Yes-This will enable the governor to make midyear budget cuts when spending outpaces revenue. In short the state government will have to live within its means.

Prop 77: No-Before I proceed, please allow me to preface by saying that gerrymandering is a despicable practice and my "no" vote does not condone this. Moving the authority to draw district lines from the legislative to judicial branches is too radical and too risky a change for me to support. The has to be a better way to remedy this situation.

Prop 78 and 79: No-Keep the bureaucrats out of my pharmacy.

Prop 80: No-What this measure does is game the system for the bureaucratized utilities and prevents consumers from shopping for lower rates.

City Council Race
I have decided to vote against all incumbents. Each incumbent promised NOT to cut police and fire spending and turned around to cut 7 million dollars from the public safety budget. Where did the money go? To finance a performing arts center. Modesto has serious problems with gangs, drugs and car theft and yet the City Council has deemed winning points with snooty Bay Areaites a higher priority.
Chair 2-Marcus Nugent
Chair 4-Ralph Saxton
Chair 5-Kristin Olsen