CURRENT ISSUES/ACCESS TO INFORMATION

League of Women Voters^®
of West Contra Costa County

Information on new and important topics of legislation and sources of information for concerned citizens

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA. LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE. Sources of useful information. CALIFORNIA BUDGET PROJECT. FIELD POLL;. LWV highlights the extent American lack insurance. WHAT THE FEDERAL HEALTH CARE LAW MEANS FOR CALIFORNIA. WEB SITES WITH USEFUL INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY (click on item).

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA

CURRENT PRIORITIES The web site of the LWVC has currently made priorities of: Redistricting Implementation State and Local Finances (including California's financing of education) Initiative and Referendum To access the issues page, go here
CLIMATE CHANGE The US LWV has a nice, brief summary of the issues on it site here. More information is on the Climate Change page (a priority issue), which is here, including a slightly dated but clear study from the Cinncinnati League here

LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE

The Legislative Analyst's Office is responsible for providing nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis for the California Legislature. The office is expected to function as the "eyes and ears" for the Legislature to ensure that the executive branch is implementing legislative policy in a cost efficient and effective manner. The LAO web site provides very comprehensive coverage of financial implications of governmental activities.
A large number of reports, ranging from broad items such as the state budget to analyses of propositions, including the state education proposition, some on video, are available here:.

THE PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA

The PPIC does periodic polls and detailed studies of issues that affect our state. Is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank dedicated to informing and improving public policy in California through independent, objective and nonpartisan research.
BUDGET ISSUE: January, 2011 Statewide Survey: "CALIFORNIANS AND THEIR GOVERNMENT"
Some important findings were:

Fifty-three percent of Californians support Governor Brown's special election proposal to extend tax and fee increases.
Majorities would be willing to raise taxes to spare K+12 education, higher education, and health and human services from cuts.
The share of residents who see the state as going in the right direction--a minority--is up 22 points since October.

Go to the press release by clicking here or to the full report by clicking here

WATER POLICY
A short summary of items commonly misunderstood with respect to water policy is given in the report, "CALIFORNIA WATER MYTHS" which can be read by clicking here
A recent and comprehensive analysis of water issues in the state is the report, "MANAGING CALIFOLRNIA'S WATER: FROM CONFLICT TO RECONCILIATION", available here

CALIFORNIA BUDGET PROJECT

The California Budget Project engages in independent fiscal and policy analysis and public education with the goal of improving public policies affecting the economic and social well-being of low- and middle-income Californians. It is a nonpartisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party nor any candidate running for elected office.
A concise overview of the California economic situation with consideration of historical factors and comparisons with other states is given in the slide show presentation, "BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONTEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED 2011-12 Budget" here
The CPB gives an up-to-date {March 16) analysis of the various budget proposals (Governor, Assembly, Senate, Conference Committee)in its report, "BACK TO THE FUTURE: hOW DO THE BUDGET PLANS COMPARE?", which may be accessed here

FIELD POLL;

VOTERS EXPRESS VIEWS ON DEALING WITH THE STATE'S HUGE BUDGET DEFICIT
This important new Field Poll is of particular interest with respect to the Governor's balanced budget initative for the summer election. Heres is the summary of main findings. The whole report is eye-opening and can be read by "clicking here"< http://field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/Rls2368.pdf>
A statewide survey undertaken collaboratively by the University of California, Berkeley and The Field Poll highlights some revealing findings about how registered voters would prefer dealing with the state's unprecedented $25 billion budget deficit.
... There is no great willingness on the part of voters to increase taxes as a way of dealing with the huge budget deficit. However, majorities do support the idea of extending the temporary tax increases enacted by the state several years ago.
... A 61% majority prefer calling a special election to allow voters to decide on these issues rather than leaving it to the legislature to act.
... If a special election is called, by a 58% to 39% margin, voters endorse the governor's proposal to extend for five more years the one-cent increase in the state sales tax, the ˝ percent increase in vehicle license fees and the Ľ percent increase in personal income taxes that the state enacted in 2009.
... Pluralities of voters do not support the idea of transferring to the state's general fund dedicated taxes approved by voters in previous elections as a way of mitigating the budget shortfall. These relate to approximately $1 billion in taxes collected under Prop.10 in the 1998 election now devoted to early childhood development programs and about $861 million collected under Prop. 63 from the 2004 election that go to mental health services.
... While a majority of voters (52%) prefer eliminating the state budget deficit through a roughly equal mix of spending cuts and increases in tax revenues, voters have a hard time identifying which specific state program areas they would be willing to cut. When asked about fourteen areas of state spending, a majority goes along with cutbacks in just two areas to help reduce the deficit. They are spending for the courts/state judiciary and state prisons and correctional facilities.
... Small pluralities oppose cuts in six other spending areas + environmental regulations, state road building and repair, state parks and recreational facilities, public transportation, public assistance to low-income families with dependent children, and water storage and supply facilities.
... There is much greater opposition, ranging from 61% to 74%, to cut six major spending areas + the k-12 public schools, law enforcement and police, health care programs for low income and disabled Californians, higher education including public universities, colleges and community colleges, spending for child care, and mental health services.

LWV HEALTH CARE REPORT

AT RISK AMERICANS: THE UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED
Data from multiple sources agree that in 2007, 47 million Americans (15.6 % of the total U.S. population) lacked any kind of health insurance coverage. When these numbers are adjusted for age (excluding those 65 years and older), the uninsured percentage of the population rises to 17.9%. Moreover, it is estimated that 2.5 million adults under age 65 were underinsured during 2007 despite having insurance all year. In total, 42% of all adults (86.7 million) were either uninsured or underinsured during 2007.
Putting a face on persons who were uninsured or underinsured during 2007 or 2008 (1):

Age: One of three people under age 65 was uninsured for some or all of 2007 and 2008: of the total uninsured population, 60.1 million were adults (between 19 and 64 years of age.)
Duration: Among the underinsured/uninsured, 74.5 % were uninsured for nine or more months and one-quarter were uninsured the entire 24 months.
Employment status: 80 % of individuals who were uninsured were in working families and only 16 % were not in the labor force (due to disabilities, chronic illness, or serving as family caregivers.)
Income: Nearly 60 % were in families with incomes below the federal poverty level (FPL: $21,2001/yr. for a family of four); 52 % with incomes between 100 - 200 percent of FPL went without health insurance in 2007/2008.
Racial and ethnic origin: 55 % of Hispanics/Latinos, 40.3 % of African Americans and 34 % of other racial or ethnic minorities had no health insurance in 2007/2008, compared to 25.8 % of whites. While racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to be uninsured, whites accounted for 49.8 percent of the uninsured.
Age breakdown: The likelihood of being uninsured declines with age: 49.5 % of those 19-24 years old, 36.3 % of those 25-44 years old, 32.5 % of those 45-54 years old and 21.2 % of those 55-64 years old were uninsured over this two-year time period. The 55-64-year-old age group consumes more health care on average than younger adults.

For all ethnic and racial groups, lower-income families and individuals were more likely to be uninsured than lower-income whites. This disparity continues even as incomes rise in all groups.
There is a marked increase in the number of adults having difficulty paying medical bills - the most visible consequence of the weakening in insurance coverage. In 2007, 41 % of adults (72 million people) reported problems paying medical bills, faced bill collectors or were in debt for medical care, up from 34 % or 58 million in 2005. The majority had insurance at the time these bills were incurred (2) - well in advance of the economic downturn.
(1) Statistics above/below from http://www.families.org/resources/publication/reports/americans-at-risk-findings.html .
(2) Statistics in this paragraph from http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Publications/Testimonies/2009/Feb/Testimony-Insurance-Design-matters-Underinsured-Trends-Health-and-Financial-Risks.aspx
Author: Janis McMillen - League of Women Voters US Board member and Chair of the LWVUS Health Care Education Task Force (2009)

WHAT THE FEDERAL HEALTH CARE LAW MEANS FOR CALIFORNIA

The CPB recently analyzed the health care law with respect to our state. See the report here

WEB SITES WITH USEFUL INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY (click on item)

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS WEB SITES
League of Women Voters of the Bay Area
The BAY AREA MONITOR The Monitor is a review of regional issues from the League of Women Voters of the Bay Area providing information on Bay Area water, air, transportation, housing and land use.
League of Women Voters of California's public Web Site for Advocacy
League of Women Voters of California Education Fund's Web Site
Members Only Section of The League of Women Voters of California
League of Women Voters of United States
Smart Voter's Home Page for Contra Costa County
GOVERNMENT WEB SITES
Quick Reference Guide to West County Resources
Contra Costa County's Registrar of Voters
California Secretary of State Section on Elections
California State Assembly
California State Senate
City of El Cerrito
City of Hercules
Kensington
City of Pinole
City of Richmond
City of San Pablo

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: February 7, 2012 21:42 PST.