2018 VOTER GUIDE: A look at California's Proposition 2: Housing Assistance Bonds for People with Mental Illness
In the November election, California voters will decide on 11 propositions. Here's everything you need to know about Proposition 2.
PROPOSITION 2:
Authorizes bonds to fund existing housing program for individuals with mental illness. Legislative statute.
SUMMARY:
A "Yes" vote allows the State to spend Proposition 63 (known as the Mental Health Services Act) tax revenue on $2 Billion in bonds for housing people in need of mental health services.
BACKGROUND ON MILLIONAIRE'S TAX:
In 2004, California voters passed Proposition 63. It levied an additional 1% tax on incomes above $1 Million to finance mental health programs.
HOW DID IT GET ON MY BALLOT:
Usually revenue bonds do *not* require the approval of voters to take effect. However, because Proposition 2 asks to spend revenue from an existing ballot measure, Proposition 63, it must go before voters.
Proposition 2 received 35 votes (20 needed) in the State Assembly and 72 (41 needed) in the State Senate before Governor Brown signed a bill to make it a ballot measure.
MAJOR BACKERS:
Chan Zuckerberg Advocacy, Members' Voice of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, Housing Trust Silicon Valley, Mid-Peninsula Housing Corporation.*
MAJOR OPPONENTS:
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Contra Costa authored the official argument against Proposition 2. That organization call Proposition 2 "The Bureaucrat and Developer Enrichment Act."
IMPACT TO TAXPAYERS:
Money would come from the existing "Millionaire's Tax" as opposed to the wider revenue stream affecting all taxpayers.
Take a look at full coverage on the 2018 election here.
*NOTE: All information regarding donations as backers or opponents of a ballot measure reflects financial disclosures made to California's Secretary of State as of September 7, 2018.
