California IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : 5 More Initiatives Qualify for Ballot

Five more initiatives have qualified for the November ballot by securing signatures from voters, according to the secretary of state’s office. One is a constitutional amendment requiring two-thirds voter approval for initiatives that establish or raise special taxes, such as on alcohol, tobacco products or candy. The measure is backed by Richard Gann, son of the late anti-tax crusader Paul Gann, and the liquor industry. Another measure, backed by farmers and pesticide manufacturers, would finance a $25-million pesticide research program and change the current system of fines and penalties for violations of regulations. Other initiatives would impose a “nickel-a-drink” tax on alcohol, levy a half-cent sales tax to fight illegal drugs and ban fishing with gill nets. Ten initiatives have now qualified for the ballot.