Proposition 26 Is Bad for Los Angeles

Prop 26 Would Cost Los Angeles more than $61 Million

Los Angeles Area Environmental and Public Health Leaders Join to Explain why Prop 26 is the most dangerous proposition you haven't heard of

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Proposition 26 is flawed and would negatively affect everyone in the Los Angeles area, from the loss of vital city services to the destruction of our environment.

"Proposition 26 would add another $1 billion to the California budget deficit and cut $61 million from the Los Angeles County budget," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. "That means vital programs in education, public safety, and public health programs would be hurt even more. Los Angeles County can't afford that. California can't afford that."

The Chief Executive Officer of Los Angeles County reports that passage of Prop 26 would cost the county's Department of Public Works $61 million and jeopardize the county's solid waste management programs and other environmental programs.

Besides creating a $1 billion budget hole and handcuffing cities and counties Prop 26 would

• increase the budget deficit by $11 billion over 10 years;
• make it easier for companies to shift the social costs of their businesses onto taxpayers;
• damage environmental programs;
• harm public health and public safety;
• cause a lot of uncertainty for business.

"Proposition 26 would shift the costs of damages caused by companies that harm our public health and environment from those responsible to ordinary taxpayers," said Martha Dina Arguello, the Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility - Los Angeles. "Proposition 26 is bad for public health, bad for your family's health and bad for California's health."

The oil and tobacco companies are spending millions to protect themselves and hide their true motives -- shifting the burden of the societal damage they cause onto taxpayers.  Bay Area-based Chevron has donated $4 million to the Proposition 26 campaign, other oil companies threw in $1 million.  What kind of company is oil keeping? Phillip Morris/Altria donated $2.5 million -- most of the money hidden behind the CA Chamber of Commerce, and the American Beverage Association donated $2 million.

"The Wine Institute and Big Alcohol lined up early for Prop 26," stated Bruce Lee Livingston, executive director of Marin Institute.  "Anheuser-Busch InBev, a Belgian-owned, Brazilian-run company contributed more than a million for Prop 26 to stick California taxpayers with annual billion dollar tabs for alcohol-related harm."

Prop 26 will affect every Californian negatively, whether they are conservative or liberal, care about police protection or protecting our coasts.  That's why a broad, bipartisan group has lined up against Prop. 26, including: the Sierra Club, the Planning and Conservation League, the League of Women Voters, Children's Defense Fund, California Council of Churches/California Church IMPACT, League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Defense Fund, California Police Chiefs Association, California State Sheriffs' Association, California Professional Firefighters, Police Officers Research Association of California, the American Lung Association in California, the American Cancer Society, Health Access, the California Nurses Association, the California Federation of Teachers, the California State Association of Counties, the League of California Cities, Marin Institute and many others.

SOURCE No On Proposition 26; Marin Institute