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Campaign Filings Show Landlords Provide 83% of Funding Prop 98
by Kathy Fairbanks‚
Mar. 25‚ 2008
According to new campaign reports filed yesterday with the Secretary of State's office, more than 83% of funding in support of Proposition 98 comes from apartment and mobile home park landlords and the associations that represent them. Hidden in the fine print of Prop 98 are provisions that would eliminate rent control and other renter protections. Prop 98 supporters are trying to trick voters into believing their measure is only about eminent domain, but today's filings clearly reveal that eminent domain is just a stalking horse to pass the landlords' real agenda: abolishing rent control and renter protections for their own financial gain.
"Proposition 98 was written by landlords, is being funded almost exclusively by landlords, and is on the ballot for the sole financial benefit of landlords," said Nan Brasmer, President of the California Alliance for Retired Americans, representing more than 750,000 California seniors.
Today's official filings are for the period ending March 17, but the bullets and charts below include all contributions reported through March 21 available on the Secretary of State's website. Of the $2.7 million raised by Yes on 98 through March 21, $2.17 million comes from apartment and mobile home park owners and the associations that represent them. This includes:
* $1,009,918 from apartment owner interests, including $291,329 from the Apartment Owners Association PAC, $183,450 from individual apartment owners and managers, $124,164 from local apartment association organizations and PACs and $410,974 from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. The Jarvis Association has long historical ties to apartment owner interests, including three current board members with direct ties to the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles.
* $1,252,852 from mobile home park owner interests, including $1,006,832 from individual mobile home park owners, $204,020 from the Western Manufactured Housing Communities Issues PAC, and $42,000 from the Manufactured Housing Education Trust.
Prop 98 would strike a devastating blow for California renters, including millions of seniors, widows, veterans and young families.
First, Prop 98 eliminates rent control. Prop 98 would also eliminate important renter protections, like laws protecting renters against unfair evictions. So Prop 98 allows landlords to kick out tenants for
no good reason... allowing them to vacate the unit, eliminating rent control protections so they can raise rents. Prop 98 also eliminates renter protections like laws requiring the fair return of rental deposits.
The problems with Prop 98 don't stop with abolishing renter protections. Hidden provisions also gut environmental protections, jeopardize future water projects needed to improve quality and enhance supply, and would result in frivolous lawsuits, higher taxpayer costs, and hurt our economy.
"The landlords are scheming and paying millions to try to wipe out basic protections for renters," said Dean Preston, Executive Director of Tenants Together, a statewide organization representing renters. "They stand to make millions on the backs of seniors, widows, veterans, students, and working families. We're confident voters will see through their Hidden Agendas scheme and soundly reject Prop 98 in June."
Proposition 98 is opposed by leading California organizations like the AARP, League of Women Voters of California, the Coalition to Protect California Renters, Golden State Manufactured-Home Owners League, Inc. (GSMOL), California Professional Firefighters, California Alliance for Retired Americans, California Teachers Association, California Police Chiefs Association, California Chamber of Commerce and dozens of others.
For a complete list of organizations opposing Proposition 98, click here.
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May 13, 2008
