Electoral Reform: Public Matching Funds

Los Angeles City doled out $5,846,645.11[1] in matching funds for the March 5th primary election. Even though the total amount spent by candidates in this election exceeded $26,000,000 — voter turnout was only 16.11%[2]. Out of 1,817,107 registered voters in the City of Los Angeles, only 292,760 ballots were actually cast.

Based on the ballots counted so far, Wendy Greuel was at $93 Per Vote and Eric Garcetti was at $53 Per Vote. My campaign for City Controller was at 20 Votes Per Dollar.

If our public matching funds were used to incentivize participation as opposed to finance campaigns, turnout would be higher. Instead of giving my tax dollars to my opponents because I did not raise enough money, public financing of elections should mean that the city makes it easier to vote for those not likely to vote.

We spent over $6,000,000 of our Tax-Dollars on the March 5^th Primary election [poll workers, materials, matching funds, etc.], and only generated 292,000 votes. A better use of money would be to pay people to vote or to pay people to count votes. We invest money into electronic machines that scan votes quickly, but what is more sacred to a democracy than counting votes by hand?

If the money given to the candidates through the Los Angeles City Public Matching Funds System were distributed to the 292,000 people that voted, voters would have gotten $20, each. Instead we give millions of dollars to a few well-financed politicians.

Unfortunately we have a public matching funds system that clearly favors the best-financed candidates and does nothing to increase voter turnout. The 19 best-financed candidates got $4,849,000 in public matching funds, the middle 15 candidates received less than $1,000,000, and the bottom 24 candidates got nothing.

Public Matching Funds should be used to engage the citizenry and generate civic participation, not flood the airwaves and mailboxes of most-likely-voters with empty rhetoric and campaign promises.

Instead of aligning City elections with Federal elections or implementing Rank Choice Voting, we should start with changing the City’s Public Matching Funds System to benefit the citizenry instead of career politicians.

-Ankur Patel

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[1] Information on campaign contributions from [http://ethics.lacity.org/campaignfinance.cfm]

[2] Election results are from [http://clerk.lacity.org/Elections/index.htm] as of 3/16/13.

Unintelligible Laws: AB 900

We have a legislative system that creates laws that 99% of people can’t understand, but are expected to follow.

AB 900 was a law passed by the California Legislature that okay-ed $7,700,000,000 for prison construction in 2007. There is a different AB 900 passed every legislative session.

In 2009-10, AB 900 was a law that returned property taxes to the residents of the city of Bell.

In 2011 – 2012 (current session), AB 900 is a law about recycling on school campuses…

Here is California’s Legal Analyst’s 4 page report to update the status of the nearly 10,000 word law AB 900 (2007/08).

The $33,700,000 that was used on a 64 bed facility in Vacaville was the first prison facility that came out of AB 900 (2007/08).

This is a list of all the Assembly Bills (AB) that have been put on the table for this legislative session. This is a list of more than 1,400 bills that our legislators have on their plates — remember they took power in January of this year. Who wrote all of these bills?

Lobbyists.

The list doesn’t even link to the text of the bills. This is our government not making it easy to follow what laws they are writing.

There is no point in getting riled about about the presidency, governorship, or mayorship if we as a citizenry don’t know the processes that laws are made.

What gets me cynical is that when these laws are made, we don’t have the ability to understand them.

I didn’t read the text of AB 900… any of them

51 Candidates Declare for 7 Seats

These 51 potential candidates are currently collecting signatures to qualify for the March 8th, 2011 Los Angeles City Council elections.

1,000 signatures or 500 signatures + $300 will get an individual on the ballot.

Some candidates are going to have no problem collecting their signatures, while many aren’t going to get organized, activate enough volunteers, or put in the necessary time to get on the ballot. This is definitely a weeding out process/exercise.

In a district of about 270,000 people, you should be able to get 1,000 registered voters to support your bid to get on the ballot.

Some candidates might personally go door to door trying to collect signatures while others might pay a professional collector $1.50 per signature. Some might be able to get all of their signatures at a few major community events while others will have circulators go to friends and family.

Trying to tap into the energy that has led 51 people to campaign for elected office and turn it into a movement — above rhetoric and money — about cohesion, transparency, and responsiveness is a task that Los Angeles Clean Sweep has taken on.

Getting good people elected is definitely the goal, but the campaign process itself has the potential to build the bridges and infrastructure that will lead to a government that the people can respect.

More information available on Facebook.

We need to make this more than click-button-activism.

I say this while writing a blog that very few people will even read — the irony is not lost.

Local Politics [Primer for Angelenos]

Los Angeles has historically been a city favoring the politically connected — in terms of contracts, development deals, and more recently, Lakers tickets.

We have a population of around 4,000,000 with about 1,600,000 registered voters. Citywide positions are often elected with less than 300,000 total votes. It isn’t the terrorists keeping us from voting, maybe it’s because our politicians belong in a Mel Brooks movie.

There are 18 elected officials in Los Angeles City [Mayor, City Controller, City Attorney, and 15 Councilman representing their respective Council Districts].

I have recently started following local politics and have realized it is worth my attention because a few votes really can have an impact. 10 out of the 15 City Councilmen were elected with less than 10,000 votes.

It’s not the poll tax that is keeping us from voting, but it might be the amount of time it takes to get informed. Sometimes I feel like the federal, state, county and city bureaucracies are making it difficult on purpose.

City Council meetings are held every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:00 a.m. in City Hall. How are working people supposed to make it to those meetings?

My goal is to make it easy and simple. I wait on the city’s 311 line for 30 minutes to ask questions so you don’t have to. I go to City Hall and raise my voice at the podium because clicking ‘like’ on Facebook isn’t enough.

Our 18 elected officials control more than $10,000,000,000. Some of that money is used effectively.

Let’s earn the government we want by voting.

 

Who is Running for California Public Office in November?

The Secretary of State’s certified list is 115 pages long…

6 candidates for governor: Jerry Brown, Meg Whitman, Chelene Nightingale, Laura Wells, Dale F. Ogden, Carlos Alvarez

Why do those other people even bother to get their names on the ballot?

6 for lieutenant governor: Gavin Newsom, Abel Maldonado, Jim King, James Castillo, Pamela J. Brown, C.T. Weber

What does the lieutenant governor do?

6 for secretary of state: Debra Bowen, Damon Dunn, Merton D. Short, Ann Menashe, Christina Tobin, Marylou Cabral

This is only the third rung of the hierarchy…

6 for controller: John Chiang, Tony Strickland, Lawrence G. Beliz, Ross D. Frankel, Andrew Favor, Karen Martinez

Who?

Treasurer, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Board of Equalization…

These are elected positions?

United States Senate has 6 candidates: Barbara Boxer, Carly Fiorina, Edward C. Noonan, Duane Roberts, Gail K. Lightfoot, Marsha Feinland

At least I know something about this…

The United States House of Representatives has 53 seats up for election in the state of California…

The California State Senate has 20 seats up for election…

The California State Assembly has 80 seats up for election…

These bodies are in charge of the “purse strings,” but they are full of incompetent corrupt ideologues — so we have a lot of wasted money.

The seat of Superintendent of Public Instruction has 2 candidates

And then there are 38 judicial positions that need to be approved by the voters.

A Simple Transparent Solution

A real-time-read-only-file for every fund that Los Angeles City keeps Our money in.

Division 5 of the City Charter is Finance. In Division 5 there is…

• Chapter 5 Trust Funds.
• Chapter 6 Revenue Funds.
• Chapter 7 Improvement Funds.
• Chapter 8 Revolving Fund.
• Chapter 12 Animal Care and Control Fund.
• Chapter 17 The Westside Welcomes the World Trust Fund.
• Chapter 22 Los Angeles Mall Trust Fund.
• Chapter 39 Lopez Canyon Community Amenities Trust Fund.
• Chapter 45 Transfer of Floor Area Rights Public Benefit Payment Trust Fund.
• Chapter 47 Jeopardy “Balancing the Odds” Youth Program Trust Fund.
• Chapter 65 Black Market Cigarette Prosecution Trust Fund.
• Chapter 69 Used Oil Collection Trust Fund.
• Chapter 78 Mayor’s Office Refurbishment Trust Fund. 9
• Chapter 107 Adopt-a-Curb Trust Fund.
• Chapter 116 Street Banners Revenue Trust Fund.

There are 126 Chapters of Funds. Chapter 5 has 40 separate funds. There are more than 170 individual funds with different purposes and sources.

We can’t find out how much money is in any of these funds in a way that isn’t jumping through hoops unless you are “politically connected.”

This is our money and we should know how much there is and where it is. I am currently on hold with the City Administrative Office listening to the LA Philharmonic… got an answering machine, leave a message.

Traveling down to City Hall isn’t an option for most people, but I did and was sent in circles for hours until someone said…

Again, a simple solution is: A real-time-read-only-file for every fund that Los Angeles City keeps Our money in.

Real-Time might seem difficult to do because there are always expenses popping up, but if people can take money out whenever they want, that in itself is a problem.

This fund is only accessible twice a day, that fund is only accessible once a week, the emergency fund is accessible at all times with extra oversight in place. Specifics for specific funds can be worked out. They all have different purposes and sources.

When someone does move money around, their name and position should be made visible. We then have instant accountability. “Why did this person take our tax money and what did they spend it on?” is a question we always need to ask.

Only a few people should have access to any given fund, with proper layers of oversight and certain other people’s approval. We can then demand efficiency in the spending of our dollars. If we don’t get efficient spending, we know exactly who spent how much money on a bridge to nowhere.

Transparency can be a unifying issue. Instead of rhetoric and grandstanding, lets implement real solutions.

A real-time-read-only-file for all funds in the City of Los Angeles might be it…

Feasible? Pragmatic? Step in the right direction? Actionable? Legal?

Whose support does it need to happen? The City Attorney’s? City Council’s?The Mayor’s?

They are all elected officials…

Representative democracy is worthless if you don’t know your representative.

November 2010 Statewide Ballot Measures

Proposition 18
Bond Measure

Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010

This is going to issue $11,140,000,000 in bonds. Lots of money and our most important resource. Lots of attention seems like a good thing on this one.

SBx7 2. (Chapter 3, 2009), Cogdill.

Proposition 19
Initiative Statute

Changes California Law to Legalize Marijuana and Allow It to Be Regulated and Taxed.

1377. (09-0024. Amdt. #1S) – Final Random Sample Update – 03/24/10

Qualified: 03/24/10

Proponents: Richard Seib Lee and Jeffrey Wayne Jones (510) 208-4554

Proposition 20
Initiative Constitutional Amendment

Redistricting of Congressional Districts.

Qualified: 05/05/10

Proponent: Charles T. Munger, Jr. votersfirstactforcongress@gmail.com

1380. (09-0027) – Final Random Sample Update – 05/05/10

Proposition 21
Initiative Statute

Establishes $18 Annual Vehicle License Surcharge to Help Fund State Parks and Wildlife Programs and Grants Free Admission to All State Parks to Surcharged Vehicles.

Qualified: 06/10/10

Proponent: Joseph L. Caves (916) 558-1516

1421. (09-0072) – Final Random Sample Update – 06/10/10

Proposition 22
Initiative Constitutional Amendment.

Prohibits the State from Taking Funds Used for Transportation or Local Government Projects and Services.

Qualified: 06/22/10

Proponents: Joshua Shaw, Christopher K. McKenzie, and James N. Earp

1414. (09-0063, Amdt.#1NS) – Final Random Sample Update – 06/22/10

Proposition 23
Initiative Statute

Suspends Air Pollution Control Laws Requiring Major Polluters to Report and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions That Cause Global Warming Until Unemployment Drops Below Specified Level for Full Year.

Qualified: 06/22/10

Proponent: Thomas W. Hiltachk (916) 442-7757

1454. (09-0104) – Final Random Sample Update – 06/22/10

Proposition 24
Initiative Statute.

Repeals Recent Legislation That Would Allow Businesses to Carry Back Losses, Share Tax Credits, and Use a Sales-Based Income Calculation to Lower Taxable Income.

Qualified: 06/24/10

Proponents: Robin Johansen and Karen Getman (510) 346-6200

1412. (09-0058, #1NS) – Final Random Sample Update – 06/24/10

Proposition 25
Initiative Constitutional Amendment.

Changes Legislative Vote Requirement to Pass a Budget from Two-Thirds to a Simple Majority. Retains Two-Thirds Vote Requirement for Taxes.

Qualified: 06/24/10

Proponents: James C. Harrison and Thomas A. Willis (510) 346-6200

1408. (09-0057) – Final Random Sample Update – 06/24/10

Proposition 26
Initiative Constitutional Amendment.

Increases Legislative Vote Requirement to Two-Thirds for State Levies and Charges. Imposes Additional Requirement for Voters to Approve Local Levies and Charges with Limited Exceptions.

Qualified: 06/24/10

Proponent: Allan Zaremberg c/o Steve Lucas (916) 446-6752

1441. (09-0093) – Final Random Sample Update – 06/24/10

Proposition 27
Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.

Eliminates State Commission on Redistricting. Consolidates Authority for Redistricting with Elected Representatives.

Qualified: 06/24/10

Proponent: Daniel Lowenstein c/o Fredric D. Woocher (310) 576-1233

1451. (09-0107) – Final Random Sample Update – 06/24/10

For more information: http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/qualified-ballot-measures.htm

Pillars of Government

A modern human society can get by with 5 publicly supported institutions (Rule of Law, Transportation and Infrastructure, Health and Safety, Education, and Redistribution of Wealth).

The federal level provides us with the post office, national security, making sure higher castes in society don’t take advantage of lower ones, and the myth of equality.

The state provides us with guides to education standards, enforces some laws, and use our taxes to create their jobs…

Los Angeles County’s budget is $23,600,000,000. Most of that goes to hospitals, sheriffs, firefighters, and social services.

Los Angeles City uses 70% of its $6,700,000,000 budget on police and firefighters. The DWP, MTA, LAX are separate individual departments that share jurisdiction.

Each level of government does deal with important tasks and provides crucial services, without which, surviving as individuals would be difficult. So we accept all of the corruption, bureaucracy, and inability to change the system because it isn’t that bad.

We must remember that the government gets all of its power from the people.

How many representatives do you vote for?

The reason why beuarcracies work is because there are so many levels to them, that you stop giving a damn before you get to where you wanted to go. There are four layers we have to deal with: Federal, State, County, City.  Each level has its own elected officials.