California

Prop 6 Mailer Made to Look Like Official Ballot ‘Correction'

Reform California, the group that wants to repeal the gas tax, sent out millions of leaflets, which some believe are deceptive. 

Critics are calling it misleading and deceptive - a new Prop 6 political ad "pretending" to be an official correction to the sample ballots.

Two million ads were sent by mail in the past few days.

Last year, the state raised the gas tax by 12 cents a gallon and increased vehicle registration fees.

The goal behind it? Fund billions of dollars of transportation projects.

Reform California, led by Carl DeMaio, wants to repeal that tax and fees with the passage of Prop 6. “It’s so important that voters understand that Prop 6 has been giving a false and misleading title by the politicians in an attempt to fool voters," he said.

DeMaio is talking about Prop 6's official ballot title, "Eliminates Certain Road Repair and Transportation Funding."

“It doesn’t say gas tax repeal it says repeals road repairs, which is not true,” he said. So Reform California sent out 2 million leaflets, which read: "Election Ballot Correction." 

The correct title for Proposition 6 should read: "Proposition 6: Gas Tax Repeal Initiative.”

But some, like Catherine Hill with the No on 6 Campaign said the mailer, not the ballot language, is deceptive.

“It is made to look like something officials from the Registrar of Voters Office, although it says in fine print that it is not.”

That mailer does disclose that it's not official and that Reform California paid for it, but Hill says it's still confusing for voters who receive it.

“Unfortunately, people will look at it and they will have misinformation about what the ballot statement is.”

Besides repealing fuel taxes and vehicle fees, A Yes Vote on Proposition 6 would also require voter approval for California lawmakers to implement gas taxes or vehicle fees in the future.

In California, the Attorney General is responsible for writing the title and summary of each initiative voters see on their ballot.

The Attorney General's office did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

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