They are saying cash can’t purchase you happiness — and that was probably true Tuesday for the proponents of two dueling initiatives on California’s Nov. 8 ballot to legalize sports activities betting.
In any case the cash raised by the four campaigns on each side of Propositions 26 and 27 — almost $441 million to this point, almost double the earlier document of $226 million set in 2020 — each measures are considerably underwater with voters, in line with a brand new a poll from UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Occasions.
- Prop. 26, which might permit Native American casinos and California’s 4 horse race tracks to supply in-person sports activities betting and allow tribal casinos to start providing roulette and cube video games, was supported by simply 31% of probably voters, in comparison with 42% opposed and 27% undecided, in line with the ballot. Prop. 26 is backed by a big coalition of Native American tribes.
- Prop. 27, which might permit licensed tribes and large gaming companies to supply on-line and cellular sports activities betting exterior tribal lands, was supported by simply 27% of probably voters, with 53% opposed and 20% undecided. Prop. 27 is backed by on-line gaming firms, together with DraftKings and FanDuel, and three Native American tribes.
The campaigns don’t have a lot time to vary Californians’ minds: County elections places of work are required to start mailing ballots to all lively, registered voters no later than Monday, and Election Day is simply 5 weeks away.
The ballot additionally discovered that the campaigns’ oodles of money may very well be a legal responsibility: Voters who reported having seen plenty of advertisements about Props. 26 and 27 have been extra probably by “huge margins” to oppose each measures than voters who had seen few or no advertisements.
It most likely doesn’t assist that many of the ads are confusing and possibly even misleading, and that they’re funded by four different ballot measure campaigns composed of a posh solid of gamers.
- One marketing campaign, backed principally by Native American tribes, is concentrated solely on opposing Prop. 27.
- One other marketing campaign, additionally funded principally by tribes, is concentrated each on supporting Prop. 26 and opposing Prop. 27.
- A 3rd marketing campaign, primarily funded by on-line gaming firms, is concentrated on supporting Prop. 27.
- And the fourth, funded principally by card rooms — a main competitor of tribal casinos — is concentrated on defeating Prop. 26.
Kathy Fairbanks, a spokesperson for the Sure on 26/No on 27 marketing campaign, told the Los Angeles Times that her facet is grateful “that voters seem like rejecting the out-of-state playing firms and their $170-million marketing campaign of deception.”
Nathan Click on, a spokesperson for the Sure on 27 marketing campaign, told the Times that Prop. 27 has confronted “over $100 million in deceptive and false assaults — $45 million earlier than we even certified for the poll. It’s telling these identical opponents haven’t spent a dime supporting their very own sports activities betting proposal,” Prop. 26.
Props. 26 and 27 have additionally struck out with the editorial boards of main California newspapers, none of which have endorsed both measure, according to a list maintained by the Sacramento-based I Street Public Affairs.
Different key takeaways from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Research ballot:
- 57% of probably voters assist Prop. 31, which might uphold a 2020 regulation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom banning the sale of sure flavored tobacco merchandise, whereas 31% oppose it and wish the regulation to be overturned. One other 12% are undecided.
- 49% of probably voters assist Prop. 30, which might levy a brand new tax on millionaires to fund electrical automobile packages and different local weather initiatives, whereas 37% oppose it and 14% are undecided.
- Within the gubernatorial race, 53% of probably voters plan to vote for Newsom, the Democratic incumbent, whereas 32% say they’ll assist his challenger, Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle of Bieber. Help for Newsom has remained roughly regular since Berkeley’s August survey, whereas assist for Dahle ticked up 7 proportion factors — although not almost sufficient to make a dent within the uphill battle Republicans face in deep-blue California.
A message from our sponsor
Get able to vote: Discover out every thing you want to find out about voting in California’s Nov. 8 election within the CalMatters Voter Guide, which incorporates data on races, candidates and propositions, in addition to movies, interactives and marketing campaign finance information.
A message from our sponsor
Different Tales You Ought to Know
1
Taking inventory of Prop. 30 spending
From CalMatters political reporter Ben Christopher: As California campaigns rush to boost money within the 5 weeks left till the Nov. 8 election, the committee against Prop. 30 — which might increase taxes on millionaires to fund electrical automobile packages and different local weather initiatives — has turned to a novel funding supply: shares.
Based on campaign finance numbers filed with the state on the finish of September, “No on 30” has taken in a bit greater than $2.3 million price of company equities this yr.
As monetary portfolios go, it’s heavy on tech, prescribed drugs and, sure, even fossil gas investments. A few of its greater holdings embrace:
- 3,920 shares of Take-Two Interactive, the videotape firm that owns Rockstar Video games. Complete worth when donated: $490,314.
- 2,848 shares of NVIDIA Corp., a high-performance chip producer. Complete worth: $463,085.
- 1,623 shares of Exxon, 1,510 in liquified pure fuel developer New Fortress Vitality and 260 in Australian oil driller Woodside Vitality. Complete worth: $328,792.
The committee’s small mountain of inventory remains to be only a fraction of the $9.1 million it’s raised in money to this point. And it’s only a drop in a sea of company donations in comparison with the $47 million vacuumed up by Sure on 30 — greater than $45 million coming from the ride-share large Lyft, which additionally spent $49 million in assist of a successful 2020 ballot measure (the initiative that set the earlier spending document) to exempt itself from a state labor regulation.
Giving shares appears to be a uniquely Silicon Valley technique to affect elections. Roughly 1 / 4 of the funds raised by the profitable marketing campaign to recall San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin got here within the type of firm shares, the San Francisco Standard reported.
- One potential cause for the pattern: Neither donors nor poll measure committees must pay capital positive aspects on donated shares.
For donors with shares which have boomed in worth since they first bought them — the hallmark of a profitable enterprise capitalist’s portfolio — that makes for a very engaging tax break.
CalMatters reviewed each non-cash contribution reported to statewide poll measure committees during the last two years. “No on 30” is the one one which obtained inventory. San Francisco election lawyer Jim Sutton mentioned he isn’t shocked.
- Sutton: “It is a poll measure that particularly targets wealthy individuals, and wealthy persons are extra more likely to have appreciated inventory.”
For supporters of Prop. 30, who’ve spent weeks denouncing the “No” facet as a marketing campaign funded by self-interested millionaires seeking to keep away from increased tax payments, the inventory contributions supplied but extra ammunition.
- Steven Maviglio, a marketing consultant for the Sure on 30 marketing campaign: “Billionaires discovering a technique to keep away from taxes with a donation — whereas contributing to a measure that might make them pay increased taxes.”
No on 30 spokesperson Amelia Matier mentioned the inventory contributions have been of little significance in comparison with the hundreds of thousands of {dollars} Lyft has spent in assist of the proposition. She mentioned the rideshare firm has spent “50x that of some other donor on some other facet.”
- Matier: “The actual query is — do Californians need firms to campaign-spend their approach round our legal guidelines and to line their pockets.”
2
Well being care union takes wage disputes to the poll
Why are Californians voting — for the third time — on whether or not to ascertain new guidelines for dialysis clinics? Behind Prop. 29 is California’s largest well being care employees union, Service Workers Worldwide Union-United Well being Staff West, which is known to routinely turn to voters and use the initiative course of as a negotiating tactic — together with on the native stage. On Nov. 8, voters within the Southern California cities of Duarte and Inglewood will decide the destiny of SEIU-UHW initiatives to set a minimal wage requirement of $25 per hour for among the lowest-paid employees at personal hospitals, built-in well being methods and dialysis clinics, CalMatters’ Ana B. Ibarra reports. The union — which earlier this yr tried to hash out a last-minute legislative deal to spice up the statewide minimal wage for well being care employees in each private and non-private amenities — is betting that native wins may assist spur a bigger motion. In the meantime, California’s hospital foyer and well being methods throughout the state have poured at the very least $17 million into defeating the Duarte and Inglewood measures.
CalMatters Commentary
CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: California is shifting nearer to the Western European mannequin of in depth public companies and advantages.
It’s time to remake California’s water legal guidelines: The ideas below which California water rights have been assigned in the course of the twentieth century merely don’t maintain up within the twenty first. The Legislature should guarantee sinister authorized selections don’t burden susceptible communities and native species with attempting to outlive with extraordinarily restricted water, argue Walter “Redgie” Collins and Amanda Cooper of CalTrout.
Different issues price your time
Some tales could require a subscription to learn
How can California employees transition to inexperienced power jobs? // CalMatters
On the Orange County coast, voters fume about fuel costs however worry for local weather’s future. // Los Angeles Times
After lethal downtown shootings, Sacramento proclaims nightlife supervisor to coordinate with companies. // CapRadio
Police launch video of particular person of curiosity in potential serial killings in Stockton and Oakland. // San Francisco Chronicle
Excessive courtroom to listen to social media terror fits, together with one involving loss of life of Cal State pupil. // Mercury News
Contra Costa choose guidelines prosecutors violated state’s new Racial Justice Act throughout homicide trial, reverses convictions. // Mercury News
‘Simply deal with me’: How a corrupt FBI agent protected an L.A. crime determine for money. // Los Angeles Times
A hashish bribe and arson: Former Adelanto councilman sentenced to federal jail. // Los Angeles Times
California regulation college sued by namesake’s descendants over identify change. // Fox News
Supreme Court docket rejects Oakland lawsuit in opposition to the NFL over Raiders’ transfer to Las Vegas. // San Francisco Chronicle
L.A. to finish COVID eviction protections by February. // Los Angeles Times
State declares emergency as work begins to stabilize sliding San Clemente railroad tracks; Amtrak, Metrolink stay unavailable. // San Diego Union-Tribune
Court docket orders state to re-evaluate extensively used rat poison due to dangers to different animals. // San Francisco Chronicle
Wildfires are getting worse. Can scientists save California’s forests from going up in smoke? // Los Angeles Times
One Bay Space harbor is attempting a first-in-the-nation technique to fight plastic air pollution. // San Francisco Chronicle
