Millions of dollars flowed into the 12 initiative campaigns on the November ballot in the quarter ending June 30, but the latest financial reports released by the California secretary of state show campaign cash isn’t spread equally.
Some campaigns, including Proposition 17, which would restore felons’ right to vote as soon as their prison terms end, and Proposition 18, which allows 17-year-olds to vote in some primary elections, haven’t raised enough money, either in support or opposition, to require a financial report.
Others, such as measures on rent control, property tax changes, Uber and Lyft drivers, and kidney dialysis, already have collected millions with plenty more cash likely to come before the Nov. 3 election.
The quarter’s biggest contribution was dropped on Proposition 21, which would make it easier for local governments to enact rent control. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation of Los Angeles, which backs the initiative, put in $10.4 million, bringing its total contribution to $11.9 million. The apartment industry gave $9.5 million to oppose the measure, with $1.8 million from San Mateo’s Essex Property Trust raising its stake to $2.3 million.
With $10 million available on the “yes” side and $14.2 million for opponents, the rent control battle will be played out over the airwaves this fall.
Developers and business interests are pouring money into the effort to defeat Proposition 15, which would revise the 1978 Proposition 13 tax rules to allow commercial and industrial property to be reassessed more often, prospectively raising their property taxes. Opponents raised $1.5 million in the quarter, with $250,000 each from Vornado Realty Trust of New York and Long Point Development of Rancho Palos Verdes (Los Angeles County). The “no” side has just under $900,000 cash on hand.
Supporters took in $726,000, giving them $4.6 million available for the fall campaign. The California Teachers Association has spent more than $6 million on the effort, with the Service Employees International Union adding $4 million and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s Chan Zuckerberg Advocacy donating $1.6 million.
Backers of Proposition 22, which would circumvent the state’s AB5 and allow app-based drivers to work as contractors and not employees, didn’t raise a cent in the second quarter because they didn’t need it. Thanks to $110 million in contributions last October from companies like Uber, Lyft and Doordash, they have $92 million in the bank for what promises to be a high-spending campaign.
Opponents, led by $450,000 from the Transport Workers Union and money from other labor groups, raised $575,000 and have almost $192,000 cash on hand.
Proposition 23, a rerun of an unsuccessful 2018 initiative effort over rules for kidney dialysis clinics, is another measure that didn’t need to book many contributions. Supporters raised only $200,000 in the quarter, but that brings the United Healthcare Workers contribution to $6 million, with $7,433 in the bank.
Opponents listed no contributions for the quarter, but two of the country’s largest dialysis companies, DaVita and Fresenius Medical Care, each kicked in $1 million earlier this year. The two companies spent a combined $100 million to defeat Proposition 8, a similar measure, two years ago.
Proposition 20 would virtually overturn a 2016 initiative designed to reduce the prison population. It limits parole and reclassifies a number of crimes as felonies. Supporters raised only $475 for the quarter, but the measure has $1.6 million cash on hand, thanks to a $2 million contribution in 2018 by the California prison guards union.
Opponents collected $1.6 million in the quarter, giving them $2 million in the bank. Patty Quillin, wife of Netflix founder Reed Hastings, and Stacy Schusterman, a Tulsa, Okla., philanthropist, each gave $500,000.
Supporters also are lining up in a pair of Democrats-only Bay Area state Senate races.
In San Francisco, state Sen. Scott Wiener has $830,000 cash on hand, with contributions that include $4,700 from the California Building Industry Association and $9,300 from the laborers union. Jackie Fielder, the progressive activist challenging Wiener, raised $214,000 and now has $128,000 in the bank.
In the race to replace termed-out state Sen. Jim Beall of San Jose, Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese, with support from unions and the construction industry, has $570,000 available for the fall campaign, compared to $238,000 for Ann Ravel, former Santa Clara County counsel, who has strong support from the legal community.
John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@jfwildermuth
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August 03, 2020 at 04:24AM
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Here's how much money is flowing into California ballot campaigns - San Francisco Chronicle
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