California's "Special Election"

Voter turnout is expected to be low in tomorrow's special election, which was called by the Terminator. Please remind family and friends living in California to go to the polls.

For more information, check out the California Voter Foundation's Voter Guide.

As usual, I'm appalled by the amount of money being spent on this election. It's even more infuriating when you think about budget cuts on services that are needed by people who don't have a voice.

*Prop. 73 would require a girl under the age of 18 to notify one of her parents before she has an abortion.

Yes on 73 contributors:
Don Sebastiani, a Sonoma vintner and former state lawmaker, contributed $250,000
Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza and supporter of Catholic causes, contributed $300,000
James Holman, the publisher of the San Diego Weekly and a string of Catholic newspapers in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, loaned $700,000 to the campaign and contributed more than $1.2 million overall

*Prop. 75 would prohibit using public employee union dues for political contributions without individual employees' prior consent.

Yes on 75 contributors:
Lewis Uhler, the measure's sponsor and president of the National Tax Limitation Committee, has said he expects to raise and spend $20 million

No on 75:
The California Teachers Association alone anticipates budgeting $50 million to defeat Prop. 75 and two others on the November ballot -- Prop. 74, which extends the time before a teacher is tenured, and Prop. 76, a budget reform package. That $50 million came from the pockets of people who don't make what they deserve.

*Prop. 78 is a drug discount initiative sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry; it's become the most expensive ballot campaigns in U.S. history. Drug companies, including Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, have spent $80 million on TV and newspaper ads encouraging people to vote yes.

No on 78
Labor's Alliance for a Better California has raised about $10 million to fight Prop. 78 along with five other measures backed by Schwarzenegger.

*Prop. 79 is a drug discount initiative sponsored by consumer groups.