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 digging 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