Vote for Proposition 98 on June 3, 2008

It is odd how our attention can miss the obvious. I have not written a new post recently, and I have been complaining to my wife of the deceptive ads that support Proposition 99 against Proposition 98. What I missed is that I should be writing about this in my blog.

What do I mean by deceptive? It is clear from a Los Angeles Times article on Tuesday, May 27, 2008, Section B, page 4, that AARP is promoting a lie about Prop 98. IT WILL NOT ELIMINATE RENT CONTROL. It will phase it out by allowing apartments to rise to market level AFTER a tenant under rent control moves out, is evicted for non-payment of rent, or dies. That could be years. For some tenants, they would benefit from rent control for the rest of their lives if Prop 98 were to pass.

It DOES have more stringent eminent domain restrictions than Prop 99, because it protects the property of more individuals and businesses and makes it harder for the government to seize property for redevelopment by private business. This is why Governor Schwarzenegger is supporting Prop 99; it makes is easier for the government to seize property.

Prop 98 is the ballot measure that should be passed, not Prop 99. Whether you are a property owner or a renter, I recommend the passage of Prop 98. As a property owner or a renter, you are protected under Prop 98. Please do not believe the deceptive ads by AARP and vote for Prop 98.

You can read the full text of the Initiative submitted to the Attorney General at
http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/initiatives/pdfs/i684_2007-05-03_07-0015_Initiative.pdf

But here is the section directly from the Initiative dealing with rent control:
SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE
The provisions of this Act shall become effective on the day following the election ("effective date"); except that any statute, charter provision, ordinance, or regulation by a public agency enacted prior to January 1,2007, that limits the price a rental property owner may charge a tenant to occupy a residential rental unit ("unit") or mobile home space ("space") may remain in effect as to such unit or space after the effective date for so long as, but only so long as, at least one of the tenants of such unit or space as of the effective date ("qualified tenant") continues to live in such unit or space as his or her principal place of residence. At such time as a unit or space no longer is used by any qualified tenant as his or her principal place of residence because, as to such unit or space, he or she has: (a) voluntarily vacated; (b) assigned, sublet, sold or transferred his or her tenancy rights either voluntarily or by court order; (c) abandoned; (d) died; or he or she has (e) been evicted pursuant to paragraph (2), (3), (4) or (5) of Section 1161 of the Code of Civil Procedure or Section 798.56 of the Civil Code as in effect on January 1,2007; then, and in such event, the provisions of this Act $hall be effective immediately as to such unit or space.

Again, the ad running on the TV from AARP is completely deceptive. Please vote for Prop. 98

Rennie