Public Financing Measure Defeated
California voters on Tuesday rejected Proposition 89, a measure supported by the California Nurses Association that would have created a publicly financed campaign system in California, the Sacramento Bee reports (Hill, Sacramento Bee, 11/8). The measure would have:
- Required candidates seeking public financing to obtain a number of $5 contributions from voters;
- Increased state income taxes on corporations and financial institutions to fund candidate campaigns;
- Provided subsidies for publicly-financed candidates who are outspent by independent expenditure candidates or candidates who rely on personal funds; and
- Restricted contributions to candidates, political committees and ballot measure campaigns.
With 100% of precincts reporting, 74.5% of voters opposed the measure, and 25.5% voted in favor of it (Secretary of State Web site, 11/8).
CNA officials said the measure would have curbed the influence of special interest groups in state politics (Sacramento Bee, 11/8).
Some opponents said it was an effort to make it easier for CNA to win passage of a universal health care initiative in a subsequent election (California Healthline, 10/26).
CNA spent more than $4.5 million on the campaign for the initiative (Wildermuth/Kuruvila, San Francisco Chronicle, 11/8). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.