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By Jon Coupal
Mounting evidence reveals that Californians are rapidly losing confidence in the state’s political leadership. That loss in confidence is driven by the perception, much of it based in reality, that our elected officials simply aren’t addressing the real problems facing Californians.
Those in power will contend that voters are satisfied with the current political structure because little has changed over the last two decades. But citizens are fully aware that an entrenched political class is virtually impossible to dislodge. Factors that combine to keep the elected officials in power include inherent incumbent advantages, a compliant media, overwhelming financial support from public sector labor, and changes in election laws designed to protect incumbents (some of which were passed in the middle of an election cycle).
A better measure of voter discontent is reflected in the outcome of local and state ballot measures. In 2020, progressive interests thought that the timing was right to advance the anti-Prop. 13 split-roll initiative raising property taxes on commercial property. But even with several factors in their favor in that election cycle, the effort failed, as did another 2020 ballot measure seeking approval of a $16 billion school construction bond.
More recently, Proposition 1, the ballot measure to address homelessness heavily financed by the fundraising machine of Gov. Gavin Newsom, barely eked out a win against opposition that spent almost nothing. The thin margin of victory ― 50.2% to 49.8% ― suggests that voters are now reflexively distrustful of what they are being told by politicians.
Looking forward, a major test of voter discontent in California is presented by the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act (TPA), a proposed constitutional amendment which has already qualified for the November 2024 ballot. It is sponsored by taxpayer and business organizations to restore key provisions of Proposition 13 and other pro-taxpayer laws that give voters more control over when and how new tax revenue is raised.
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