Californians' Top Priority Isn't on Statewide Ballot This Year

(Bloomberg) -- Californians’ top priority -- education -- isn’t reflected on the statewide ballot this Election Day.

In an analysis of statewide bonds approved by the electorate since 1972, debt for kindergarten to 12th-grade schools is the largest category at $53 billion, according to the state’s finance department. Next is transportation, with $33 billion approved.

No measures for state funding of education are on the ballot Tuesday. In 2016, voters approved $9 billion in borrowing for kindergarten through community colleges.

Here are the statewide bond measures:

• Proposition 1:
  • $4 billion for affordable housing
• Proposition 2:
  • $2 billion for supportive housing for homeless people who are mentally ill
• Proposition 3:
  • $8.877 billion for water projects and habitat protection
• Proposition 4:
  • $1.5 billion for children’s hospitals

To contact the reporter on this story: Romy Varghese in San Francisco at rvarghese8@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: James Crombie at jcrombie8@bloomberg.net, Michael B. Marois, William Selway

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