Conduct California’s “Budget Fix” Special Election by Mail

As the budget impasse now reaches the 100 day mark, the word is that California will have a special election in May or June. While the exact date of that "budget fix" election is not known at this time, there is one thing we know for certain. If that election is conducted by mail it would save taxpayers big bucks.

No matter what ends up on the ballot, the election will carry a healthy price tag for county governments. And it comes exactly at a time when they can least afford it. While the state has said they will repay counties for the costs of the special election, Registrars of Voters are not holding their collective breath. Who knows when "the check will be in the mail?"

In the meantime, the general funds of local government will pick up the tab. And they have already begun to do so – 40% of San Mateo County’s budget covers the cost of administering state mandated programs. This is not an uncommon statistic statewide.

To reduce the financial burden on the counties and the state, California could take a common sense step forward and conduct this upcoming special election all by mail. Or lawmakers could allow counties that want to conduct the election by mail the legal authority to do so. It would save the County of San Mateo about $300,000; more importantly, it would save the state something in the neighborhood of $10,000,000. And it has political support—not just from registrars, but from CSAC, the California State Association of Counties, who took this position in January when they saw the budget impasse and the specter of another special election looming. And in past years, the California League of Women Voters and the California Letter Carriers Union have been among those organizations that supported legislation to allow statewide (at a county’s discretion) to ability to conduct Vote by Mail elections.

Another side benefit that nobody’s talking about is that it would possibly increase voter turnout. Nearly half the voters already vote by mail in regular elections – depending on the county. Voters have signed up to vote by mail voluntarily—it’s the most substantial change in voting behavior in the past 25 years. Ask any pollster. Consider the vote by mail statistics of these densely populated counties in northern California for the last election: Santa Clara County-71%, Sonoma County-65%, Contra Costa County-51%, Marin County-62%; Alameda County-47%, San Mateo County-49%. Statewide for the November 4, 2008 Presidential General Election, 42.61% of the voters opted to vote by mail (and their turnout reached 78%).

Those counties opting to conduct the upcoming special election by mail could open some number of regional voting centers for a week in advance of the election. This would ensure that voters from the disability community could come to the polls and cast a private and independent vote and those voters who absolutely want to cast their ballot in person would be accommodated as well.

Doug Chapin, publisher of Electionline.org and associate of the PEW Charitable Trust has said, “They (the voters) can sit down with a voter guide…and make their decisions deliberately.” Voting by mail is a safe option and doesn't affect the integrity of the election nor does it violate any security requirements. Voters find it convenient and hassle-free. It meets their lifestyle needs. There have been no reports of vote by mail fraud. And every registrar in the state already successfully manages a vote by mail program.

An opinion piece in The San Jose Mercury News said in part, “More elections should be held by mail. The experiences of Oregon…and Monterey County have shown that voting by mail sharply increases voter participation…and removes barriers keeping voters from the polls. It also is less expensive…”

Imagine it - a statewide election conducted all by mail. Oregon has done it successfully for years. 38 of 39 counties in Washington have switched to mail elections.

Why shouldn’t California take a proven, common sense approach, save big bucks and give it a try?

You can share your thoughts with me at warren@warrenslocum.com - And if you agree, please call or send an email to your Assembly Member and State Senator urging them to allow counties the option to conduct the “budget fix” special election by mail.

SCAM ALERT: Don't Get Ripped Off!

Property owners throughout California are the hoped-for customers of a number of private companies who are taking advantage of people during these economically uncertain times. Companies with clever names like “Tax Review” and “Tax Reassessment” and “Tax Adjusters” are soliciting fees of $95, $179, $209 to file a homeowner’s request for a Decline in Value review for the 2009-10 Property Assessment.

The real estate market downturn has created some sharks — companies that are offering services that are provided for free by all Assessors’ Offices in California. Some notices are printed on a legal size form that has the homeowner’s name, address and property value information preprinted on the form. Others are printed on multi-page letter size paper. Solicitations include an “estimated tax savings” figure that cites hundred, if not, thousands of dollars, making the fee seem rather paltry. Some of the solicitations compel a property owner to mail their check before a February date to create a false sense of urgency. The reality is that homeowners can request a Decline in Value review at any time and do so directly with the Office of the Assessor – for free.

Don’t be misled into paying someone to file an application for you when we’ll be reviewing your property for free. San Mateo County offers homeowners the ability to fill out an online Decline in Value form. The form takes about 2-3 minutes to complete and a few seconds to be delivered. And it’s offered in English, Spanish and Chinese, depending on the language that you feel most comfortable using. The online Decline-in-Value form is accessible from my office's web site www.smcare.org.

Property owners can also go online and download and print a paper copy of the form if they prefer that method. You can fax, mail or hand deliver a request.

Once a homeowner submits a request, they will receive an email confirmation or phone call that advises them of a date when they can expect to learn of the status of their request.

If a request has merit, the property assessed value will be reduced. If the parties disagree, further discussions will take place to ensure that everything is understood. If the Decline in Value request is ultimately denied, the homeowner still has the option to file an appeal before the San Mateo County Assessment Appeals Board, an independent body that rules on these matters.

Since June 2008, my office has processed approximately 8,600 Decline-in-Value requests from homeowners for the 2008-09 Tax Year; 5,200 of them were approved for a reduction in assessment. Those that were not reduced were generally for properties that were purchased in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. The same is also true for those that purchased a property in 2008; these will be reviewed for a possible Decline-in-Value as of the lien date Jan. 1, 2009 for the 2009-10 Tax Roll.

However, once a property is enrolled in the Decline-in-Value Assessment Program, its assessed value is subject to annual review in subsequent years in light of the current economic and market factors. For example, the assessed value may be: 1) increased to no more than the “factored base year value” or 2) held at the prior year’s assessed value or 3) reduced further.

Calls have been pouring into the Assessor’s Office and the Tax Collector’s Office from homeowners who are confused by these notices. It is unfortunate that some of the homeowners have already signed the form and mailed in their payment to these companies.

Particularly susceptible to this kind of solicitation are first generation immigrants, brand new homeowners and widows who left financial matters to their spouses – all for the very same reason, they are unfamiliar with property taxes, property tax programs and assessments. The sad part is that often the people preyed upon are the most vulnerable and at-risk property owners who would most benefit from a homeowner’s exemption.

Property owners are encouraged to contact the Assessor’s Office to find out if they have questions or need help in filling out the Decline-in-Value form. Online forms are available in English, Spanish and Chinese from our homepage. Property owners can call (650) 363-4500 for assistance.

Voter Fraud

Rich stories of voter fraud and stolen elections run throughout American history, even if elections experts agree that fraud at the voting booth is rare.

Instead, as history shows, it's political machines and ballot brokers who typically rig the vote.

Here's a brief look of some notorious examples:

•1876 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – Among the most disputed elections in American history, it pitted Republican Rutherford B. Hayes against Democrat Samuel Tilden.

The razor-close election ended with electoral votes disputed across the country. Party officials were dispatched from both sides. Bribes were distributed generously. Louisiana and South Carolina ultimately turned in four sets of electoral votes, two from each state. All the disputed votes eventually went to Hayes based on a decision by a slanted electoral commission.

•1948 TEXAS SENATORIAL ELECTION – Lyndon Baines Johnson's ascension to the U.S. Senate was marred by alleged electoral tampering. It initially appeared that the race went to popular Republican Gov. Coke R. Stevenson. Days after the polls closed, an amended count from "ballot box 13" turned up out of Jim Wells County, with enough votes to put Johnson over the top.

•1960 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – Many historians have concluded that Mayor Richard J. Daley's Democratic political machine committed fraud to tip Illinois' electoral votes to John F. Kennedy over Richard Nixon.

Allegations of dead voters, ballot-box stuffing and mob involvement have long circulated in Chicago, where votes from the 1st Ward, known as the mob's ward, helped turn the city, and Illinois, to Kennedy.

•1997 MIAMI MAYORAL ELECTION – Perhaps the most egregious modern American example of voter fraud, the race was between Joe Carollo and Xavier Suarez. Mr. Carollo defeated Mr. Suarez handily with votes cast on Election Day. But absentee votes heavily favored Mr. Suarez and gave him the election. The courts determined that massive absentee-voter fraud occurred. Ultimately, all absentee ballots were disregarded, and the election was awarded to Mr. Carollo.

(Source: Dallas Morning News)

A History of Elections in America
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