Ballot-Box Budgeting on the November Ballot

Proposition 21 would establish an $18 surcharge on vehicles when they’re registered every year, commercial vehicles and trailers excepted. The fee would raise $500 million a year to be spent on 278 state parks. The purpose of Prop 22 is to prevent the state from seizing money earmarked for cities, counties and various transportation projects and spending it instead on state services. Prop 21 is an initiative statute which could be changed. Prop 22 is a constitutional amendment, which could only be changed by the voters. Both are examples of what’s called “ballot-box budgeting” because they would limit the discretion of elected officials to spend money as circumstances require.