Understanding Ballot Initiatives

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It's election time again and there's nine new propositions to vote on. But do we understand them? Many smart Angelenos say they are baffled by the language of initiatives. How did they start and have they gotten out of hand? And are they now the pawn of big business or simply more democracy than we can handle?
Chris Beaumont: Television writer; also on the Board of Directors of the Humanitarian Law Project Bill Jones: Tom Hiltachk: Partner with Bell, McAndrews and Hiltachk, a law firm specializing in political and election law (has worked on dozens of state and local initiatives) Kim Alexander: President of the California Voter's Foundation which has recently released the 1998 California Online Voter Guide (www.calvoter.org). Peter Schrag: Author of "Paradise Lost," a recently published book about what California has done to itself over last 25 years, socially and politically; he also writes a weekly column for the Sacramento Bee Harvey Rosenfield: Head of non-profit Foundation for Tax-Payer and Consumer Rights; author of insurance proposition 103 which passed in 1988 Ray Fisher: Associate Attorney General at the Department of Justice; former President of the Los Angeles Police Commission Bob Stern: Co-Director for the Center for Governmental Studies

topic: POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton