The wildfires, heat waves and floods ravaging our state have demonstrated that climate change is here and we need to act. Now California voters have an opportunity on the November 2024 ballot to invest $10 billion in climate resilience, clean energy, wildfire protection and prevention and water infrastructure. Coalition for Clean Air urges a vote for Proposition 4 to safeguard our health and vital resources in a future shaped by climate change.
What is Proposition 4?
If passed, Proposition 4 would create a $10 billion “climate bond”, providing new funding for drinking water infrastructure, climate change adaptation, protection of natural lands, clean energy and sustainable agriculture. The full breakdown as to how Proposition 4’s money would be spent is below:
Source: https://yesonprop4ca.com/
As clean air advocates, we are particularly excited for Proposition 4’s investments in wildfire protection and prevention as well as clean energy. This means Prop 4 will directly lead to cleaner air, and cleaner air means better public health. A UCLA study found 10 years of wildfire smoke have caused 50,000 premature deaths and over $400 billion in economic losses. Additionally, Prop 4 will help fund new zero-emissions electricity generation and transmission, as well as upgrades for port infrastructure. Considering that California is home to the dirtiest air in the nation, Prop 4 is an opportunity we cannot afford to pass up.
Why do we need Prop 4?
Simply put, without Prop 4 many climate programs would either be unfunded or would have to compete for limited funds against other worthwhile investments like clean transportation. As a result, California’s ambitious climate and clean air commitments would be even harder to meet. California is facing very difficult budget conditions, and many effective climate and clean air programs have been defunded. Worse yet, these programs are not expected to be funded for years to come. Not only would Prop 4 provide billions of new dollars in climate funding, but it would also relieve pressure on the state’s already overextended fiscal resources.
Additionally, Prop 4 would establish protections and safeguards for this new funding. California’s current sources of climate funds – the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and the General Fund – can be siphoned away to other programs. Prop 4 money, on the other hand, can only be used to protect our climate. Additionally, Prop 4 would also require annual audits and full transparency on how the money is used, protecting this money from waste, fraud and abuse.
What’s next for Prop 4?
Californians will be able to vote for Prop 4 after receiving vote-by-mail ballots, which will be mailed on October 7th. Additionally, voters may go to voting centers or polling places to vote early, though you should check with your local county election website for more details. Ballots will need to be postmarked or submitted by November 5th to be counted. Currently, support for Prop 4 is strong; according to the Public Policy Institute of California, 65% of poll respondents support Prop 4. While this is very good news, it is likely that the actual vote results will be closer. As such, nothing can be taken for granted – not even cleaner air and a healthier climate.
Every election puts important questions before the voters, and 2024 will be no different. Proposition 4 is a unique, unprecedented opportunity to invest in protecting California from catastrophic climate change. We hope that you will join us in supporting Proposition 4!
For more information, please visit https://yesonprop4ca.com/.
