Proposition 50 & Measure A: What's the difference?

By Aditi Jain

Although many of you might not be able to vote currently, you’ve probably heard about the advertisements or protests telling you to vote no or yes on Prop 50 and you may have even heard about Measure A. Though you might not be able to vote, there are still ways you can get involved and influence the decision of those around you who are able to vote. I hope that this article will help you form your opinion, whether that is in support, in opposition or simply a stance of neutrality. 

Proposition 50 and Measure A, though often referenced within the same sentence, are actually distinct proposals. Prop 50 is distinct to California and proposes a temporary redistricting of the congressional maps which would then be used for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections. Why? Prop 50 serves as a response to redistricting done in other states such as Texas. Traditionally, redistricting is done by California’s independent redistricting commission; however, Prop 50 seeks to temporarily seize this control in order to respond to the redistricting occurring in other states which could potentially lead to an imbalanced representation in government. Measure A is a separate effort and is exclusive to Santa Clara County. Amidst the recent funding cuts to healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, the Santa Clara County government is looking to recoup funds in order to provide citizens with access to health care. The measure proposes a ⅝ cent sales tax, which is projected to amount to an additional $330 million dollars in funding each year for 5 years—the duration of the tax. Currently 1 in 4 people in Santa Clara County are reliant on Medical which amounts to around 465,000 people. However, even if you are not on the Medical or Medicaid programs, the budget cut also stands to increase wait times for ER’s in Santa Clara County as there are currently only 4 hospitals handling all of the patients that come in(around 750 a day). If funds are not restored, clinics face the possibility of shutting down which can lead to an increase in wait times or also require many to go out of county to receive care. The clinics that stand to close provide life saving surgeries in addition to mental health support, trauma care and cancer treatment. 

Having all of this information, I encourage you to share your stance on this important issue with those around you and vote if you can!