Official Arguments (click ▸ to expand)
🚫 San Francisco Chronicle
"As The Chronicle also found, alongside the legitimate but halting progress toward effective therapies to which California has contributed, a whole industry of opportunistic quacks hawking stem cell snake oil has flourished across and beyond the state. That’s not the institute’s fault, but it is a byproduct of the aggressive promotion of theoretical medical treatments directly to the public — and another reason to vote no on Prop. 14."
🤐 The San Diego Union-Tribune
No stance published.
🤐 American Civil Liberties Union SoCal
No stance published.
🚫 Los Angeles Times
"If CIRM needs money for a basic operating budget over the next couple of years, that could be covered by the state’s general fund. The agency still needs to administer already-funded projects and could use that time to discuss a more affordable path forward. Right now, the state has other, more urgent spending priorities"
🚫 The Mercury News
"Prop. 71 was designed to kick-start the research at a time when federal funding was blocked. The hope was to establish California as a major player in what was regarded as a promising field. Now supporters are asking voters in the Nov. 3 election to approve issuing another $5.5 billion of bonds. More bonds should be out of the question. It’s time for California’s stem-cell agency to continue its work as a self-sustaining non-profit or close down and allow federal grants and private business to push the industry forward. Vote no on Proposition 14."
🚫 Orange County Register
"For one thing, times have changed and the original rationale — California doing what the feds wouldn’t — is no longer applicable. For another, private enterprise has taken a bigger interest and stepped up research in this field. For another, Prop. 14 doesn’t resolve a longstanding lack of oversight and accountability. And finally, imposing new costs on residents is hardly merited when most are struggling."
🚫 The Desert Sun
"The use of such public debt, especially post-COVID-19, should be on actual programs that deal with real problems California faces right now. These must be the priority for the voter dime. The medical industrial complex — already flush and which during this pandemic has been raking in billions in accelerated research funding — should be covering this type of investment in tandem with federal government funding."
✅ California Democratic Party
"Continues stem cell research funding to develop treatments and cures for chronic and life-threatening diseases."
🚫 Republican Party
"Worsens California’s Deficit
Prop 14 would worsen California’s deficit by making taxpayers responsible for an additional $5.5 billion to fund stem cell research."