Everything You Need to Know About the Election: Insights to Measures and Races

This Tuesday, March 8 may be one of those small elections that you tend to sit out and overlook. 

We know what you say, "Oh, I haven't taken time to learn about the measures" or "I don't understand any of the issues" or "I don't even know who's running."

OK, sorry, no excuses now.

This is a comprehensive list of stories about all of the measures, all of the people running, and an explanation of the issues.

Some familiar faces are running for the political lives. Some issues can directly affect your pocketbook, change the times of your local library, affect where you buy your pot... well, these measures can change things for you.

Don't know where to vote? Go here: http://www.lavote.net/LOCATOR

Want to see the candidates speak in their own video presentations? Go here: http://lacityview.org

Want to see the election results that night come in live? Click here:  cityclerk.lacity.org/election/Results.htm

And here are Patch stories about the issues and candidates.

The Measures:

Measure G: 

Measure H:

Measure L. Cops Take on Measure L

Measure M. 

Measure N. 

Measure O. 

Measure P. 

Measure Q. Measure Q Would Ease City Hiring Requirements

Ballot Measure Summary

Charter Amendment G Pension Reform 

Shall the Charter be amended: (1) to provide sworn Fire, Police, and Harbor Department employees, who are hired on or after July 1, 2011, with the pension benefits provided in the Fire and Police Pension Plan-Tier 6; and (2) to modify provisions of the Fire and Police Pension Plan in order to facilitate compliance with state and federal laws, to authorize the Council to establish an Excess Benefit Plan, to allow flexibility in establishing amortization policies, and to make technical changes?

Charter Amendment H Restriction on Campaign Contributions from City Contractors

Shall the Charter be amended to (1) restrict campaign contributions and fundraising by bidders on certain City contracts; require increased disclosure for bidders; and provide for bans on future contracts for violators; and (2) build upon the city's voter-approved campaign trust fund, which provides limited public matching funds for qualified city candidates who agree to spending limits, by lifting the maximum balance in the fund while allowing the LA City Council by a two-thirds vote to not make the annual appropriation and temporarily transfer funds to meet City budgetary obligations in certain emergency conditions?

Charter Amendment I DWP Ratepayer Advocate 

Shall the City Charter be amended to establish an Office of Public Accountability for the Department of Water and Power, overseen by an Executive Director appointed by a citizens committee and confirmed by the Council and Mayor for a five-year term, to provide public independent analysis of DWP actions as they relate to water and electricity rates?

Charter Amendment J DWP Revenue Transfers and Budget Deadline 

Shall the Charter be amended to (a) require the Department of Water and Power for informational purposes to submit to the City Council by March 31 each year a preliminary budget for the ensuing fiscal year (July 1 through June 30), to be updated by May 31 with new information, and (b) establish procedures for making surplus transfers from the Power Revenue Fund to the City Reserve Fund?

Charter Amendment-L Reassignment of Funds for Library System 

Shall the Charter be amended to incrementally increase the amount the City is required to dedicate annually from its General Fund to the Library Department to an amount equal to .0300% of the assessed value of all property in the City, and incrementally increase the Library Department's responsibility for its direct and indirect costs until it pays for all of its direct and indirect costs, in order to provide Los Angeles neighborhood public libraries with additional funding to help restore library service hours, purchase books and support library programs, subject to audits, using existing funds with no new taxes?

Proposition M: Tax on Medical Marijuana

In order to fund general municipal services, including but not limited to such matters as police protection and crime suppression services, fire prevention and suppression services, park and recreation facilities, and general improvements throughout the city, shall a tax be authorized on marijuana collectives of $50 per $1,000 of gross receipts, recognizing that the sale of marijuana is illegal?

Measure -N: Public Funding of Campaigns 

Shall the charter be amended to comply with recent court decisions and avoid liability to the city by removing from the charter three provisions determined by courts to be unconstitutional regarding campaign contribution limits on independent, non-candidate controlled groups' spending in city and LAUSD elections and notice and contribution limits regarding self-financed candidates that lifts contribution limits for only some candidates in city elections?

Proposition-O: Tax on Oil Companies

In order to fund general municipal services, including but not limited to such matters as police protection and crime suppression services, fire prevention and suppression services, park and recreation facilities, and general improvements throughout the city, shall an ordinance be adopted to impose a tax on oil producing businesses of $1.44 per barrel of oil produced in the City of Los Angeles?

Charter Amendment -P: Emergency Reserve and Budget Stabilization Fund 

Shall the Charter be amended to: Establish an emergency reserve account within the city's reserve fund, with an annual balance of not less than two and three-fourths percent of General Fund receipts, to be accessed only if the city council finds by a two-thirds vote that there is an urgent economic necessity and to be replenished in the subsequent fiscal year except in the event of a catastrophe; establish a contingency reserve account within the reserve fund for expenditures and revenue shortfalls unanticipated in the annual budget with details defined by ordinance; and establish a budget stabilization fund within the city treasury with details defined by ordinance?

Charter Amendment-Q: Civil Service Hiring Rule Changes 

Shall the Charter be amended to: (1) expand the automatic civil service exemptions to include deputy chiefs of fire; (2) limit the number of qualified applicants testing for civil service positions to an adequate number to prevent examinations of unnecessarily large candidate pools; (3) eliminate the requirement for certifying all eligible candidates for appointment to a civil service position when the candidates' scores are not reachable or when no hiring is taking place; (4) clarify and standardize the probationary period for police officers to accurately reflect its application to sworn officers from the Airport, Harbor and General Services Departments; (5) increase the length of emergency appointments to no longer than one year; and (6) extend the amount of time retirees may work from 90 to 120 days without increasing pension benefits?

District 2

Paul Krekorian - 

Augusto Bisani - 

District 4

Tom LaBonge - 

 Tomas O'Grady - 

Stephen Box - 

School Board, District3

Lous Pugliese

Tamar Galatzan

Other helpful stories:

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