California Proposition 3 (2008)

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Proposition 3, or the Children's Hospital Bond Act, is a California bond issue via initiative that appeared on the November 2008 ballot. The measure passed with 55.2% of the vote.[1] The campaign to enact the measure was supported by hospitals--all donors to the campaign of over $5,000 were hospitals.[2],[3]

Proposition 3 authorizes $980,000,000 in bonds, to be repaid from state’s General Fund, to fund the construction, expansion, remodeling, renovation, furnishing and equipping of children’s hospitals. The annual payment on the debt authorized by the initiative would be about $64 million a year. Altogether, the measure would cost about $1.9 billion over 30 years out of California's general fund.[4]

Election results

California Proposition 3
Votes Percentage
Yes 6,805,649 55.2%
No 5,536,987 44.8%
Total votes 12,342,636 100%

Perspective from NTU

Proposition 3 authorizes $980 million in bonds for hospitals. Repayment of the bond plus interest is expected to cost California taxpayers $2 billion over 30 years.[5]

Supporters

The official committee supporting the CHBA is called the California Children's Hospital Association Initiative Fund.

Arguments in favor

Notable arguments made in support of the measure included:

  • Passing the initiative will help provide the hospitals with enough money for greater bed capacity and to purchase important equipment as well as the most modern technologies.[6]

Editorial boards in favor

The Los Angeles Times[7]

The Fresno Bee.[8]

Path to ballot

Arno Political Consultants was paid about $1,028,000 to conduct the petition drive that qualified the measure for the ballot. [9]

All donors to the campaign of over $5,000 have been hospitals.[10]

Similar 2004 initiative

A smaller, but similar, bond measure for hospitals, Proposition 61, was approved by voters in 2004.

Opponents

The National Tax Limitation Committee is the official committee opposed to the measure and is chaired by Lew Uhler. The California Green Party opposes the measure.

Arguments against

Notable arguments made in opposition included:

  • Proposition 3 is misuse of the public ballot system by special interests
  • The measure also allows money to go to hospitals that are not childrens hospitals.
  • These very same special interest groups initiated the passage of Proposition 61. Half of that money still remains unspent.
  • Debt from Propositions 3, and its interest, must be paid from the general fund. This means that there will be less for other important state programs.

Editorial boards opposed

The Appeal-Democrat [11]

The Pasadena Star News[12]

The Los Angeles Daily News[13]

The San Francisco Bay Guardian[14]

Polling information

See also Polls, 2008 ballot measures.
Month of Poll Polling company In Favor Opposed Undecided
September 2008 Field 47 percent 35 percent 18 percent

A Field Poll taken in mid-September found that only 18% of 830 likely voters surveyed across the state had heard of Proposition 3 prior to being told of it by the survey interviewer.[15]

External links

References

  1. ↑ Mercury News, Bond measure to improve children's hospitals on ballot, May 10, 2008
  2. ↑ Large donors to the Children's Hospital Bond Act campaign fund
  3. ↑ Official election results
  4. ↑ Daily Breeze, "PROP. 3: HEALTH CARE: Measure would expand hospital funding", September 28, 2008
  5. ↑ National Taxpayers Union, "General Election Ballot Guide 2008, The Taxpayer's Perspective"
  6. ↑ Aztec Times, "Proposition 3 asks Californians to allot $980 million for hospitals; Children's Hospital Bond Act Grant Program will cost $64 million per year", September 4, 2008
  7. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Yes on California bonds; Bullet trains, children's healthcare and veterans' housing all deserve support", October 2, 2008
  8. ↑ Fresno Bee, "Vote Yes on Proposition 3"
  9. ↑ Expenditure details
  10. ↑ Large donors to the Children's Hospital Bond Act campaign fund
  11. ↑ Appeal-Democrat, "Our View: Wrong way to fund a good cause", September 27, 2008
  12. ↑ Pasadena Star News, "Vote 'no' on Prop. 3", September 30, 2008
  13. ↑ Los Angeles Daily News, "Children's hospitals still have plenty of bond money and now we can't afford more"
  14. ↑ http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=7262
  15. ↑ Sacramento Bee, "Field Poll: Voters who've heard of Proposition 3 tend to favor it", September 30, 2008

Additional reading

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2008 ballot measures in California
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