Ballot Measures

A recent letter from Anne Shedd, suggesting that the League of Women Voters was a Democratic Party stalking horse, reflects her flawed logic and lack of information. Yes, the League of Women Voters takes positions on issues, but only after careful study and consensus, that is, widespread agreement among its members. State propositions are researched and consensus is reported, if it exists, on a statewide basis, not on the whim of a local chapter. On most issues, consensus does not exist, reflecting the diversity of opinions of league members.

Glendale City Clerk Ardy Kassakhian on Thursday is scheduled to appear live on “The Larry Zarian Show” to discuss what voters can expect at the polls June 8. On that day, voters will choose winner of the special runoff election for the 43rd Assembly District race between republican Sunder Ramani and Democrat Mike Gatto. Voters will also be casting ballots for either candidate in the Nov. 2 primary, with that election deciding who goes to Sacramento for the next two years.

While today’s election serves as a primary for most races, in the 43rd Assembly District it will also determine who fills the seat until November. The winner will serve the district, which represents Glendale, Burbank and parts of Los Angeles, until the end of the current legislative session in November. The seat has been vacant since January, when Paul Krekorian left to serve on the Los Angeles City Council, leaving state Sen. Carol Liu (D-La Cañada Flintridge) as the area’s sole representative in Sacramento.

Glendale High School students, some who won’t be old enough to vote for months or years, got to try out the democratic exercise of casting a ballot this week. Students from every grade gathered in the main quad of their school at lunchtime on Thursday and Friday to select a candidate in the presidential primary and vote on three fictitious ballot measures. The mock election is part of “MyVote California,” a civic engagement program sponsored by California Secretary of State Debra Bowen and Supt.

Unlike previous elections, the Glendale News-Press will not be making endorsements in any races for the Nov. 7 election. However, we will endorse in upcoming local races, including April's City Council race. With the Los Angeles Times endorsing in state and national races, the News-Press will not take positions on the candidates. The decision was made not to interview our local candidates to avoid any conflicts. The News-Press has remained committed to following the issues and people through our news coverage.

Your paper's criticism of Rep. James Rogan is unfair. You criticize Rogan for not agreeing to accept a debate with the League of Women Voters, a group that is notoriously partisan in recent years. Just looking at the facts, the League of Women Voters continues to side with the California Democratic Party on virtually every issue. In the March election, the League of Women Voters sided with the Democrats on 10 out of 10 ballot measures. Most registered Democrats don't side with their own party on all those issues.

Terry Bailey This is the third of three parts in which the Glendale/Burbank League of Women Voters explains its positions on ballot measures to be decided by voters March 7. The Glendale/Burbank League of Women Voters is always nonpartisan. It does not support or oppose candidates or political parties. However, we are political because we support and oppose legislation, lobby legislators and take stands on ballot measures after study. Proposition 25 The Glendale/Burbank League of Women Voters opposes Proposition 25, 'Campaign Finance Reform.

GLENDALE — Anyone who attended "Get Ready, Get Set, Vote," a forum sponsored by two women's organizations, won't be in the dark when they step into the voting booth on Nov. 7 to pull the lever on 13 propositions slated for the ballot. The Glendale/Burbank League of Women Voters and the Glendale Commission on the Status of Women banned together Wednesday at Glendale's Sparr Heights Community Center to educate the public on the ins and outs of the 13 ballot measures. About 30 people attended the information session.

DOWNTOWN — A coalition of trustees from five local school districts huddled Friday to break down the educational effects of California’s new budget, discussing solutions to address millions in midyear losses. The group, which included board members from Burbank and Glendale unified school districts, was most concerned with the uncertain foundation that lawmakers used to prop up the new budget, which relies heavily on voters to approve propositions during a special election, they said.

The funding plan for the California bullet train does not comply with key provisions of a ballot measure that voters approved to authorize the project and $9 billion in state bonds to help finance it, according to a report released Tuesday. The study - by the Legislative Analyst's Office, which periodically reviews the $98-billion construction proposal - concluded that the most recent funding plan does not meet important requirements of Proposition 1A because high-speed trains cannot operate on the first stretch of track to be built next year in the Central Valley.

The organization dedicated to passing the $270-million school bond measure on the April 5 ballot opened its campaign headquarters at 936 Brand Blvd. last week. The Yes on S committee also launched a new website where residents can find additional information about the Measure S bond. “It is the start to all the volunteer work,” said committee co-chair Harry Hull. “It is a very professionally run campaign. There is going to be a slew of phone banks, yard signs, all kinds of stuff.

Candidates who've battled at the polls three times over the last nine months hit the final turn with two side-by-side appearances in Burbank this week. 43rd District Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake) and Republican rival Sunder Ramani spoke at a League of Women Voters Glendale/Burbank forum Wednesday night, and then at the Burbank Assn. of Realtors Thursday morning. Gatto touted his work for financial reform during his four months in office representing Glendale, Burbank and parts of Los Angeles.

As the campaign season gets into full swing, the League of Women Voters would like to urge voters to step back from the ads and hype and look carefully at the measures on your ballot. Here are some good tips to use when deciding how you might vote on each measure. • Examine what the measure seeks to accomplish. Do you agree with those goals? Is the measure seeking changes that are consistent with your ideas about government? Do you think the proposed changes will make things better?

While today’s election serves as a primary for most races, in the 43rd Assembly District it will also determine who fills the seat until November. The winner will serve the district, which represents Glendale, Burbank and parts of Los Angeles, until the end of the current legislative session in November. The seat has been vacant since January, when Paul Krekorian left to serve on the Los Angeles City Council, leaving state Sen. Carol Liu (D-La Cañada Flintridge) as the area’s sole representative in Sacramento.

Glendale City Clerk Ardy Kassakhian on Thursday is scheduled to appear live on “The Larry Zarian Show” to discuss what voters can expect at the polls June 8. On that day, voters will choose winner of the special runoff election for the 43rd Assembly District race between republican Sunder Ramani and Democrat Mike Gatto. Voters will also be casting ballots for either candidate in the Nov. 2 primary, with that election deciding who goes to Sacramento for the next two years.

Glendale and Burbank school officials acknowledge they have yet to take the necessary steps for a successful parcel tax campaign this year, saying it may be wise to focus on a ballot measure in 2011. Officials in both districts say they are not ruling out going to voters this year, but it is unlikely. “I don’t see that we have enough time [for the November ballot]. I think that’d be too aggressive,” said Lori Ordway-Peck, interim deputy superintendent in Burbank Unified.

LOS ANGELES — The Glendale-Burbank League of Women Voters is preparing for a busy election year of forums and educational seminars, but it took a break to party Saturday for its 70th year of community service. The local chapter started 20 years after the national organization was established to unite women in a nonpartisan effort to push for equal rights, said Chris Carson, the chapter’s co-president. The group has since evolved and become an organization for men and women to work together in building community awareness for local policies and elections, Carson said.

GLENDALE — The dismal outcome of Tuesday’s special election could result in dramatic funding cuts to education that would jeopardize recent gains in student test scores, state schools chief Jack O’Connell said during a news conference Thursday. O’Connell was at Marshall Elementary School to release the California Department of Education’s latest report on school test results that showed a continuing rise in student performance since the state began collecting the exam data 10 years ago. Compared to a year ago, more elementary, middle and high schools meet the state’s performance targets, with the largest gain — 5.7% — happening with middle schools.

California continues to have politics as a growth industry, with millions of dollars being spent on both sides of the budget propositions to be decided by voters Tuesday. Propositions 1A through 1F are a grab bag of measures to try to deal with the state’s ongoing failure to develop an ongoing budget strategy and funding plan. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Polls show five of the six propositions losing. Whatever the final outcome is, the state faces at least an $8 billion deficit in the coming year.