For a ballot initiative that claims to want to “save our homes,” California’s Prop 90 has run into a buzz saw of opposition from property rights and taxpayer groups. The California Chamber of Commerce, the California Association of Realtors, the California Business Roundtable, and those left-wing, property-seizing anarchists at the California Farm Bureau Federation have all come out against the so-called “property rights” measure. The California Taxpayers’ Association also opposes the measure, making No on 90 campaign perhaps the broadest cross-section of traditionally opposition groups ever assembled.
It appears that the chickens are coming home to roost for the deceptively named “Save our Homes” initiative, Prop 90. Groups traditionally associated with property rights and tax-cutting are opposing the measure in droves, as word spreads that Prop 90 would bankrupt California.
While environmental groups and the California Farm Bureau are going head to head on a local open space initiative in Santa Clara , they are united in their opposition to Prop 90. The California Building Industry Association has come out against Prop 90, and the conservative California Taxpayers Association voted unanimously to opposed the initiative.
Frank Russo’s California Progress Report has a great piece on the Prop 90 campaign. A complete list of opponents can be found at http://www.noprop90.com/coalition/index.php
The tragedy of Prop 90 is that it would not have engendered such opposition if it had solely involved eminent domain. But its out of state millionaire backers instead chose to use the anger at eminent domain to add language preventing any new government regulation of property or the environment. Prop 90 has become one of the most financially, socially, and environmentally destructive ballot initiatives in California history.
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