Where Is The Corporate Money Going For California’s Ballot Initiatives?

This is a survey looking at where the corporate money is
going in California’s 2010 November ballot initiatives.  All figures are from Sept. 17, 2010 and will be updated.  Due to reporting rules many contributions are not yet on the
record.

Proposition 19,
Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010

There is not a lot of corporate money involved in the
marijuana initiative.  The beer and wine
distributors have put up $10K to oppose the initiative.

On the supporting side: Credo, formerly Working Assets,
campaign filings do not show any amounts as of Sept 17.  (Credo engages in political activity that
supports the expressed wishes of their customers.)

Opposition to the measure: 
CALIF BEER & BEVERAGE
DISTRIBUTORS STATE ISSUES $10,000

 

Proposition 20,
Congressional Redistricting

This initiative is largely financed by one individual,
Charles T. Munger, Vice-Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffet’s
company).  The financing is individual,
not from the company.

 

Proposition 21,
Vehicle License Fee for Parks

On the opposing side: CALIFORNIANS AGAINST CAR TAXES, NO ON
PROPOSITION 21 – none of the contributions are reported yet.

 

Proposition 22, Ban
on State Borrowing from Local Governments

Campaign filings do not show any corporate amounts as of
Sept 17.

 

Proposition 23, Suspend
AB 32, the Global Warming Act of 2006

**There is heavy
corporate involvement in favor of this initiative.**

The corporate money, specifically oil company money, is heavily
involved in support of this initiative. 
In fact, it is fair to say that this initiative is almost entirely
financed by oil company money, some of it in ways attempting to mask that
involvement.

 

Support

ADAM SMITH
FOUNDATION $498,000 (This is a front-group for oil-company donations.)

Valero $1,050,000

HOLLY
CORPORATION $25,000

PLACID
REFINING COMPANY LLC $9,995

STAN BOYETT
& SON INC. DBA BOYETT PETROLEUM $25,000

AMERICAN
COALITION FOR CLEAN COAL ELECTRICITY $5000

TESORO
COMPANIES, $525,000

OCCIDENTAL
PETROLEUM CORP. $300,000

THE TERMO
COMPANY $5,000

ROBINSON OIL
CORPORATION $25,000

BREITBURN
OPERATING LP $20,000

E & B
NATURAL RESOURCES MGMT.CORP $5,000

AMERICAN
ENERGY OPERATIONS INC $5,000

NATIONAL
PETROCHEMICAL & REFINERS ASSOCIATION $100,000

CALIFORNIA
TRUCKING ASSOCIATION $50,000

BERRY
PETROLEUM COMPANY 25000

NAFTEX
OPERATING CO. 5000

CAMINOL
MANAGEMENT CO. $25,000

MURRAY ENERGY
CORPORATION $30,000

VENOCO, INC.
$10,000

WORLD OIL
CORP. $100,000

TOWER ENERGY
GROUP $100,000

SOUTHERN
COUNTIES OIL CO. DBA TOTAL ENERGY PRODUCTS $50,000

LUMBER
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA & NEVADA PAC $5,000

NO NEW TAXES,
A PROJECT OF THE HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION $100,001

JACO OIL CO.
$10,000

 

I will do
deeper research to try to trace where the money came from for NO NEW TAXES, A
PROJECT OF THE HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION $100,001

CALIFORNIANS
FOR PAYCHECK PROTECTION $25,000

PROTECT PROP.
13, A PROJECT OF THE HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION $49,000

CALIFORNIANS
FOR PROPERTY RIGHTS PROTECTION $5,213.91

 

Oppose: Credo

CANNON POWER
GROUP AND ITS AFFILIATE BAJA WIND, LLC $25K

I will
conduct additional research to try to learn if companies are funding GREEN TECH
ACTION FUND $500K and
DMB ASSOCIATES, INC. AND AFFILIATES $80K

 

I will also try to trace if corporate donations
are involved with CLEAN ECONOMY NETWORK NO ON 23 ACTION FUND, SUPPORTED BY
CLEAN TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES, RENEWABLE ENERGY ENTREPRENEURS, AND CONCERNED
CITIZENS $75K

 

 

Proposition 24,
Repeal of Corporate Tax Breaks

**There is heavy
corporate involvement in opposition to this initiative.**

Corporate money
opposed:

Johnson & Johnson $750K

CBS Outdoor
and Affiliates $1M

PFIZER INC.
$100K

GE $1.2M

ALLERGAN, INC
$20K

AMGEN $350K

VIACOM $950K

TIME WARNER $1.1M

FOX $725K

Walt Disney $1M

CISCO $1.1M

Qualcomm $100K

Medtronic $25K

Genetech $1.1M

Abbott Labs $100K

HP $100K

Intel $75K

 

 

Proposition 25
Majority Vote for Legislature to Pass the Budget

**There is heavy
corporate involvement in opposition to this initiative.**

Big corporate donations opposing.  Multiple donations as indicated.

NEW MAJORITY
CALIFORNIA PAC $100K

Chevron $250K $250:

Miller Coors $175K $100K $26K $24K $25K

SMALL BUSINESS
ACTION COMMITTEE PAC $500K  $800K

PROTECT PROP 13, A PROJECT OF THE HOWARD JARVIS
TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION
$79,674

 

WINE INSTITUTE $100K $25K $25K $25K

 

INSURANCE BROKERS AND AGENTS ISSUES PAC
(IBAIPAC), SPONSORED BY IBA WEST, INC. $50K

 

CALIFORNIA BEER & BEVERAGE DISTRIBUTORS
ISSUES PAC $K

 

CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION ISSUES
PAC $50K

 

CALIFORNIA BEER & BEVERAGE DISTRIBUTORS
ISSUES PAC $50K $25K

 

CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION ISSUES
PAC $25K

 

CROWN IMPORTS LLC $58K $20K

 

CALIFORNIA AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING
COMPANIES ISSUES FUND (CA ACEC ISSUES FUND) $15K

 

WATSON LAND COMPANY $10K

 

CALIFORNIA BUSINESS POLITICAL ACTION
COMMITTEE, SPONSORED BY THE CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (AKA CALBUSPAC) $235K
$120K $100K $325K $215K $75K $75K $125K $50K $100K

 

SAFEWAY INC. $20K 10K

 

DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA, INC. (Guinness,
Smirnoff, Johnie Walker, Jose Cuervo …) $25K

 

FARMERS INSURANCE GROUP $25K

 

ANHEUSER-BUSCH COMPANIES, INC. $100K  $25K

 

BROWN-FORMAN
CORPORATION (Jack Daniels, Fetzer, Korbel, Southern Comfort …) $35K

DISTILLED
SPIRITS COUNCIL $20K

AERA ENERGY
LLC $150K

CONOCOPHILLIPS
$25K

 

Note – I will
be d
igging into which companies are funding NEW MAJORITY CALIFORNIA PAC, SMALL
BUSINESS ACTION COMMITTEE PAC, CALIFORNIA BUSINESS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE,
SPONSORED BY THE CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (AKA CALBUSPAC) and front-group
others.

 

Proposition 26 Supermajority Vote to Pass New Taxes
and Fees (2010)

This
initiative is the flip side of proposition 25, and the money in opposition to
25 is in favor of 26.  Additionally:

CALIFORNIA
BUSINESS PAC, SPONSORED BY THE CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (CALBUSPAC)  $135K $140K $240K

 

Proposition 27 Eliminate Redistricting Commission

The opposition
to this is financed by Charles Munger and his wife.

Charles Munger
millions & Munger’s wife, millions 
— See Prop 20

Also:

SMALL BUSINESS
ACTION COMMITTEE PAC $20K

CA BUSINESS
PAC,SPONSORED BY CA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (AKA CALBUSPAC) $10K