re: #173 freetoken

In my long ballot, that I am reviewing before voting later this morning, Prop 10 is the hard one to decide.

I agree that rents are out of control.

But putting in stiff rent controls does not mean there will be a better situation.

It’s not really difficult - the market is the driving force behind rents. Contrary to the wingnuts (who are looking for any fantasy to downgrade California), people move here and continue to move here to live. That is what puts pressure on real estate, including rents.

While the local Democratic party is pro-10, I suspect that is more a sign of needing to identify with poor people than having a thought through policy.

Instead of rent control, I suggest that a large expansion of rent subsidies is what is needed, with the additional funds coming from increased property taxes.

This is where Prop 13 of old has really screwed us over - it has kept logical policies from being implemented.

Prop 10 doesn’t impose rent control, it allows localities to impose it. It’s not a solution to CA’s problems… but neither is allowing the kind of rent inflation we’re seeing (e.g. rents have ballooned here with no increase in landlords’ costs, and should evictions in order to raise rents really be okay?).

Perhaps you can tell that I’m for it.)