November 2020 Voter Guide – South Bay & Peninsula
In California, policy change often happens on the ballot, and many of the ballot initiatives—especially the local ones—can be hard to understand. Our team has evaluated local measures in San Jose and San Mateo to provide clarity on what the measures do and, where they intersect with TechEquity’s advocacy platforms, make recommendations on how our community should vote. Measures that require a supermajority to pass are denoted with an asterisk (*).
The San Mateo City Council could change local zoning rules to allow much more housing near the city’s Caltrain station.
What is Proposition R?
Prop R is the first of two dueling measures that address zoning in San Mateo. This one would allow the City Council to change the zoning rules in San Mateo so more housing can be built near the city’s Caltrain station. San Mateo would still be required to perform an environmental review and hold a public hearing before making the change. The measure would also allow the City Council to make recommendations for adding additional housing in other parts of the city, but voters would have to approve of those recommendations before they go into effect. Prop R would also allow developers to meet the city’s inclusionary housing policy by paying a fee instead of setting aside a portion of the units for affordable housing. Developers could also meet the requirement in other ways like building affordable housing at a different site. If both measures pass, the one with more votes will win.
Position: YES. San Mateo is a classic example of a Peninsula city that hasn’t built its fair share of housing. The exclusionary policies that lead to this underproduction have caused the massive housing shortage and affordability crisis we face today. Prop R would take a step towards undoing those policies and building enough homes for everyone. As an added bonus, the measure would concentrate those new homes near public transportation, which should help reduce vehicle emissions. We are strong supporters of Prop R.
San Mateo’s zoning would remain the same for ten more years.
What is Proposition Y?
Prop R is the second of two dueling measures that address zoning in San Mateo. This one would extend the city’s current zoning rules for another ten years. This means it would not be possible to build additional housing near Caltrain. The City Council could still make recommendations for zoning changes that would allow for more housing, but those would have to go before the voters. Under Prop Y, developers would not be able to pay fees to satisfy inclusionary housing requirements but could build affordable housing at a different location. If both measures pass, the one with more votes will win.
Position: No. As mentioned in our position on Prop R, San Mateo is typical of many suburban Bay Area cities in that it has chronically underproduced housing. We know that more of the same is not going to get us out of this crisis. Cities like San Mateo need to take action now to undo the damage done by their exclusionary housing policy. Prop Y just locks in, for another ten years, the same conditions that create housing scarcity and affordability problems. We strongly recommend voting no on Prop Y.
The Independent Police Auditor would be granted additional powers when investigating shootings committed by police officers.
What is Proposition G?
The Independent Police Auditor (IPA) investigates complaints against San Jose police officers and makes recommendations to the department. Prop G would grant the IPA additional powers to review internal Police Department investigations and review unredacted police files in cases where officers shot a person or used enough force to kill or seriously injure someone. It would also expand the Planning Commission and adjust the redistricting timeline.
Position: No Position. This measure does not have a close nexus to our issue areas or mission.
San Jose would raise $15 million annually by raising taxes on card rooms and allowing them to expand.
What is Proposition H?
San Jose allows and taxes some limited forms of gambling in card rooms. Prop H would raise the taxes on card rooms and is expected to bring in an extra $15 million annually. The extra revenue would go to general city expenses. The measure would also allow the card rooms to expand their capacity.
Position: No Position. This measure does not have a close nexus to our issue areas or mission.
