Assessing the vote on ballot measures

Re “Voters back all 5 public works bonds,” Nov. 8

The defeat of Proposition 88 is an ominous warning for California, specifically as a barometer of its moral health. Voters were asked to give a small part of the immense gains that homeowners have made over the last 15 years to our public schools. The subject of property value has been one of great popularity here as homeowners have watched the rising values of their homes with glee. Yet, when asked to give a tiny part of that profit back to the community, these very same homeowners balked and got stingy.

VIRGINIA OLIVE HOGE

Pasadena

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The defeat of Proposition 85 (parental consent to abortion involving a minor) is a shame on California and the 54% of its voters who cast their votes against it. Its defeat is another sign of the moral decay into which our state and nation have sunk.

STAN JONES

Irvine

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Things are not always as they seem. As someone who has eight young nieces and nephews, I believe Proposition 83 is beneficial for our youth yet threatening to our sanity and ethics. The idea of tracking sex offenders with devices appears helpful, but forcing a person who made an offense more than 20 years earlier to relocate is ridiculous. In a sense, we are forgiving but not forgetting.

If an offender has restrained from committing any crimes for more than 20 years, he or she should be left alone.

DESTINY PARKS

Northridge

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Now that Proposition 87 has been defeated because the oil companies scared voters with the prospect of higher prices at the pump, gas prices are sure to go up. After all, someone has to pay for the millions of dollars spent by the oil companies, and guess who that will be?

ROBERTO LOIEDERMAN

Van Nuys

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Looking at Tuesday’s election results, I concluded that the electorate misunderstands the term “bond issue.” Voters must think it means we allow politicians to walk into the forest and pick free money off the trees.

JAMES PERRY JASTER

West Hills

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The rejection of Proposition 89 (the public campaign financing initiative) is a sad reflection of a public that annually complains about the influence of special interests in Sacramento yet refuses to do what’s necessary to greatly reduce that influence. We have 1st Amendment protections for a certain level of political speech, but this proposition was a golden opportunity for our state to begin leading the nation in reducing perceived corruption and influence.

Perhaps the Democratic Congress will take advantage of a lame-duck presidency and consider enacting the meaningful reform that is so needed in today’s cynical political world.

CHRISTOPHER KNAUF

Santa Monica