Santa Monica Daily Press Op-ed: “Prop 54 Deserves a Yes Vote This Election Day!”
November 7, 2016 – Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Gary Toebben, California Common Cause Executive Director, Kathay Feng, and League of Women Voters of California Vice President, Joanne Leavitt opined in the November 5th edition of the Santa Monica Daily Press in support of Prop. 54, a statewide initiative on the November 2016 ballot that will rein in the power of special interests and give voters a stronger voice in the State Legislature.
Below are excerpts from the op-ed: “Yes on Prop 54 — Voters First, Not Special Interests”:
“California’s Legislature wields enormous power over its constituents. It passes laws impacting jobs, safety, education, the environment, vital public services, and a countless range of other issues that affect California’s families and economy.
That’s why the process of passing laws is supposed to be deliberate, inclusive, and transparent. To become a law, a bill must be heard by legislative committees in open public meetings. It must be passed by the full membership of both houses of the Legislature. And at every step, legislators should have an opportunity to fully review the bill and hear from their constituents, so when they cast a vote, they understand what they are voting on, and can be held accountable by the voters.
But in practice, bills are routinely passed by the Legislature before most legislators even have a chance to read them – a deceptive practice which benefits special interests at the expense of voters…
Prop. 54 would enact several reforms to shed light on the legislative process and empower the voters to participate and hold their elected representatives accountable…
Prop. 54 is a well-crafted and reasonable reform that more than fifty nonprofit, taxpayer, and local business groups throughout the state have carefully reviewed and endorsed. We believe it will bring greater transparency and accountability to the California Legislature. Prop. 54 deserves a “yes” vote this Election Day!”
To learn more about Proposition 54 or to join the coalition, visit the website at www.YesProp54.org.
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