Too often, special interests hijack California's initiative process to benefit themselves at the expense of others. Proposition 98 on California's June 3 ballot is one such example.
In this case, wealthy apartment and mobile home park landlords have spent more than $4 million to place Proposition 98 on the ballot and to pay for deceptive advertising to try to fool voters. Their campaign tells the voters that Proposition 98 is about eminent domain reform. But, their real motive is to abolish rent control and renter protections, so that they can make millions of dollars more off the backs of seniors, widows, young families and others who can least afford it.
Hidden in the fine print of Proposition 98 are provisions that would strike a devastating one-two punch for millions of renters throughout California. First, Proposition 98 eliminates important renter protections, such as laws requiring the fair return of rental deposits and laws protecting renters against unfair evictions.
Second, Proposition 98 eliminates rent control when existing tenants living in rent-controlled units move out, and it prohibits any future rent-control laws. So under Proposition 98, landlords would have new powers and incentive to kick tenants out of their rent-controlled units so they can raise rents as high as they want.
Proposition 98 would devastate the more than 14 million California renters who rely on these basic protections to shield them from the most unscrupulous landlords, and millions of California seniors, widows, veterans, teachers, firefighters and young families who depend on rent control to keep a roof over their heads.
And the problems with Proposition 98 don't end with the provisions impacting renters. The landlords also wrote loopholes in Proposition 98 that allow them to get around important environmental protections. These loopholes would undermine environmental laws and regulations such as California's landmark new law to combat climate change and global warming, and regulations that protect our air, coast, open spaces and water quality from pollution and unplanned developments.
Proposition 98 is strongly opposed by the AARP, California Professional Firefighters, California Teachers Association, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the California Labor Federation and the California Chamber of Commerce, and by every major environmental group in the state. It takes a deeply flawed measure to earn opposition from all of these diverse leaders and groups, but Proposition 98 has earned this dubious distinction.
Fortunately, while the landlords' Proposition 98 is a deceptive and dangerous measure, the June ballot does offer voters an opportunity to enact strong and responsible eminent domain reform. Also on the June ballot is Proposition 99, the Homeowners Protection Act.
Proposition 99 would prevent the government from taking a home to transfer to a private developer. Proposition 99 is simple and straightforward, without the hidden agendas and negative consequences of Proposition 98.
The League of Women Voters of California strongly encourages voters to look beyond the deceptive advertising campaign paid for by a few self-interested landlords and vote No on Proposition 98 and Yes on Proposition 99 on June 3.
Hirohama is president of the League of Women Voters of California
