Propositions turnout

How education and grocery bag propositions affect people at HHS

Graphic+by+Mark+Lu

Graphic by Mark Lu

Since there were so many propositions this year, most people got lost in what else they were voting for. HHS students are most affected by Propositions 51, 55, 65, 67, which focus on California schools and plastic bags.

Proposition 51 allows California public schools to get $9 billion in bonds for what the schools need to remodel, according to voterguide. Money from the bonds would help struggling schools in California to remodel old buildings and add buildings as well.

“We got a bond already in our district, so we probably won’t be seeing some of that, but it might help us with some of the things that may not be able to get to with our own bond,” Principal Greg Giglio said, “It might help us with some of our other things that we may not be able to get to with our own bond.”

However, senior Alec Stein would like to see this money go to math and science departments.

“The fact that we are getting 9 billion in schools, the people didn’t really realize and read the fine print that [the people] are paying 9 billion more in interest,” Stein said.

Proposition 55 extends the tax on high-income taxpayers for public California schools until 2030 instead of going to 2018, according to voterguide.

“I understand why people want more money going into our schools and health care system, but I don’t think it’s coming from the right source,” Stein said. “I think they set the tax margin too low. I think for someone making over a million, I think it would be justified.”

Proposition 65 lets grocers fine the customers on plastic bags and the profits made from plastic bags goes to protecting wildlife programs which did not pass, according to voterguide.

“I think prop 65 would have been a bill to pass but the fact prop 67 passed it renders it useless,” Stein said.

Since proposition 67 passed which is the ban on plastic bags in California, according to voterguide, immediately all of the votes on Proposition 65 does not count. Plastic bags are no longer in use in California, so the money that would have gone to protective wildlife programs can not happen.

“I think that its long overdue I support it I always bring my own bags to the grocery store I don’t even let them give [me and my family] any bags because all it will do is get into our water system, so I agree with it it’s too bad that 65 didn’t pass since it was going to wildlife [programs],” teacher Tamara Tarkington said.