With 93 percent of precincts reporting statewide as of 12:55am, it seems the fate of Propositions 1A-1F have been sealed. The only proposition to obtain the approval of voters in the May 19 statewide special election is 1F, with an approval rate of 74 percent. Propositions 1A-1E failed with a disapproval rate of 60 percent or higher, which would’ve generated about 6 billion dollars in revenue.
In Santa Cruz County, voters approved Propositions 1B and 1F, the most decisive victory being Proposition 1F, with 82 percent of voters voting yes. The closest race was Prop 1B, which would provide supplemental funds to local school districts and community college, barely passing at 51 percent.
With the passing of Proposition 1F, many elected officials of the State of California will no longer be able to receive pay raises in years where the state is running a deficit. Proponents of the measure claimed that the measure will provide accountability and responsibility in the state’s budgeting process. Opponent Pete Stahl, on the other hand, called the measure “petty, vindictive, and childish” in the Official Voter’s Guide.
Now that Propositions 1A-1E have failed to received the approval of the voters, the question now becomes what solutions the legislature will turn to as they work to create a balanced budget for the upcoming fiscal year and how it will impact the University of California and California State University systems.
According to UC President Mark Yudof, things don’t look good for the University of California. In a recent email sent to the UC community before the election, Yudof commented on a set of proposed budgets from Governor Schwarzenegger, noting a “net budget reduction of $322 million, or 10%, in 2009-10” should the propositions fail.
“Budget cuts of this magnitude would have a devastating effect on the students, faculty and staff of the University of California and ultimately on the service we provide to the state,” Yudof wrote in the email sent on Saturday, May 16th.
The next few weeks should prove telling for the future of the University of California, as it struggles to gather its foothold in these rough economic times.
Links:
Election Guide: Spring 2009 [City on a Hill Press]
