State, federal endorsements

If CN&R’s editorial board had its way, Bernie Sanders would be vying for the White House. We chose Sen. Sanders in the primary in part because he has spent his career in politics standing up for the little guy—the poor and the middle class, upon whom this nation was built.

But Hillary Clinton was chosen as the Democratic presidential nominee. More Americans viewed her as a more qualified and competent candidate. We won’t argue with that. After all, she served in one of the highest offices in the land—secretary of state, fourth in line to the presidency—and spent decades in Washington in service to the American people.

Now, Clinton may not be the idealistic choice. But she is the intelligent choice. In this particular year, with a demagogue Republican running roughshod over the GOP, Clinton is the only sane choice. Vote for her.

U.S. Senate: Kamala Harris

Congressional District 1: Jim Reed

State Assembly, District 3: Ed Ritchie

Prop. 51 (school bonds): $9 billion for K-12 public school facilities. Gov. Brown opposes it; main proponent is the construction industry. No

Prop. 52 (Medi-Cal hospital fees): Extends in perpetuity the fee private hospitals pay to help buoy health care for low-income Californians. Yes

Prop. 53 (voter approval for revenue bonds): Requires (simple-majority) voter approval for state bonds exceeding $2 billion. Sounds great but would take control away from local projects with hefty price tags. No

Prop. 54 (transparency in the Legislature): Requires all bills be posted online 72 hours before a vote and that the Legislature record meetings and make them accessible to the public. Yes

Prop. 55 (income tax extension): Would extend to 2030 the temporary tax we voted on in 2012 to get through the Great Recession. No

Prop. 56 (cigarette tax): Places a $2-per-pack tax on cigarettes (including e-cigs) to pay for health care for low-income residents. Yes

Prop. 57 (sentencing/parole): Requires that youths have a hearing in juvenile court. Allows for parole and early release for nonviolent felony offenders. Don’t buy the scare tactics of the opposition. Yes

Prop. 58 (bilingual education): Public schools would be able to choose the manner in which English language learners are taught. Yes

Prop. 59 (constitutional amendment on Citizens United): Asks California elected officials to use their authority to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission. Seeks increased regulation of campaign spending and fundraising. Yes

Prop. 60 (condom requirement): Seeks to further regulate the adult film industry. It’s opposed by both major parties because it would overburden courts since any Californian could sue for violations. No

Prop. 61 (prescription drugs): Attempts to require state prescription-drug purchases be priced at or below the price paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Could trigger price increases, including for vets. No

Prop. 62 (death penalty repeal): Replaces death penalty with life imprisonment without parole. The system does not work. Yes

Prop. 63 (gun laws): Requires background check for ammo purchases. Prohibits large-capacity magazines. Establishes procedures to take away guns from dangerous criminals. Yes

Prop. 64 (marijuana legalization): Allows citizens 21 and older to grow and possess cannabis, and allows for regulation and taxation by the state. Let’s take away the profit motive driving the black market. Yes

Prop. 65 (bag fees): Would earmark fees from the state’s single-use bag ban to environmental causes. Sounds great, but it’s the plastic industry’s effort to confuse voters into nixing an overall ban (see Prop. 67). No

Prop. 66 (speed up executions): Seeks to curtail the death penalty appeals process. Potential consequences include the killing of innocents. No

Prop. 67 (plastic bag ban): Upholds the state’s prohibition on single-use bags at grocery and other stores approved by voters two years ago and halted by referendum. Allows stores to recoup their costs of providing recycled bags (unless Prop. 65 also passes, and with more votes). Yes