California Approves Proposition 99, Rejects Proposition 98

June 4, 2008 9:47 a.m. EST

Sacramento, CA (AHN) - California residents on Tuesday said Yes to Proposition 99 which banned government agencies from tapping its eminent domain power to force owners of residence who occupy their unit to sell their homes for conversion into private projects.

On the same day, they said No to Proposition 98, which would have removed rent control. Amid declaration of a victory and admission of defeat, the backers of the two propositions asked state officials and the legislature to widen protection for homeowners as the results appear to be contradictory.

Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, explained to the Los Angeles Times, "By placing a second eminent domain measure on the ballot, opponents of private property rights created enough confusion between the ballot measures to defeat Proposition 98... Proposition 99's loopholes will allow eminent domain abuse to continue."

Residents opposed to Proposition 98 maintained the measure was passed off as a reform on eminent domain laws, but its real aim was to remove rent control. California voters saw the deceptive nature of the initiative because it rode on the popular issue of eminent domain to attack renters, the environment, homeowners and communities, Tom Adams, board president of the California League of Conservation Voters told the Los Angeles Times.

The Tuesday vote had a low turnout, with less than a third of registered voters turning in their ballots in person or by mail, according to Stephen Weir, clerk-recorder of the Contra Costa County.

The result would affect 1.2 million people residing in apartments and mobile home parks covered by the state rent control law. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was anti Proposition 98 because its additional restriction on state use of eminent domain would jack up the cost and delay funding of public works projects.