Local political and business leaders coming together in opposition to Prop 5

SJ City Council candidates George Casey (D10) and Joe Lopez (D2) are saying No to Prop 5, the tax-raising ballot initiative. In this, they are aligned with the City of Gilroy, its Mayor Marie Blankley, San Jose CMs Batra and Doan, as well as the SJ Mercury News and the SF Chronicle in opposing the proposition. Business leader Johnny Khamis also explains why he's a "no on 5" in a KQED interview, below (edited for clarity).

KQED: There has been a lot of concern about the language of Proposition 5. It doesn’t specify that the 55% threshold is a decrease from the existing two thirds threshold. And many, like former San Jose Councilmember Johnny Khamis, are concerned that voters won’t fully understand what they’re voting on.

Johnny Khamis: I think the language in Prop 5 is misleading and dishonest. It doesn't clearly say that it's reducing the threshold to passing a new tax. In fact, you can read the ballot language to mean that it's actually increasing the threshold. This is disrespectful to voters and to the democratic process.

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KQED: There was even a court case over the language on the ballot, but ultimately, the language on the ballot was permitted to remain as is ... The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has been against this initiative since it was just a proposal. The California Chamber of Commerce is against it ... Here’s former San Jose Councilmember Johnny Khamis again.

JK: Prop 5 actually reverses many of the protections that we had under Prop 13. And remember: Santa Clara County and San Jose voted overwhelmingly for Prop. 13. But Prop 5 undercuts Prop 13's protections, making it much easier to pass new bonds. But let me be clear: I'm aware that we need infrastructure improvements in California. But I also am even more cognizant of the fact that my mom received her property tax bill in November--and what she has to pay is just too much. My mom is currently retired and is on a limited income. And she has 17--count 'em--17 taxes that are not her property tax. These are 17 parcel measures from anything from the water district to the county to the school boards to the you name it. Her tax burden is already onerous and she is struggling financially. And Prop 5 will just open the floodgates to new propositions and taxes and make a bad situation worse--for all of us but especially for seniors and people on limited incomes to live in the area.

Read the whole transcript of the interview here.

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Related:

• Marin CO$T’s Mimi Willard: Prop 5 to unleash a “tax tsunami” for local and regional bonds

• Merc editorial board opposes Prop 5

• SF Chron is No on Prop 5: says “Frankenstein” initiative would raise taxes, then ban local gov'ts from using proceeds on 96% of CA's residential land

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