California Proposition 67, Additional 3% Surcharge on Telephone Use for Emergency Medical Services Initiative (2004)

California Proposition 67
Election date November 2, 2004
Topic Taxes
Status d Defeated
Type Amendment & Statute	Origin Citizens

California Proposition 67 was on the ballot as a combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute in California on November 2, 2004. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported levying an additional 3% surcharge on telephone calls to provide funding for emergency medical services.

A "no" vote opposed levying an additional 3% surcharge on telephone calls to provide funding for emergency medical services.

Election results

California Proposition 67
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		3,243,132	28.43%
No		8,165,809	71.57%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposition 67 was as follows:

“

Emergency Medical Services. Funding. Telephone Surcharge. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

Provides funding to physicians for uncompensated emergency care, hospitals for emergency services, community clinics for uncompensated care, emergency personnel training/equipment, and emergency telephone system improvements. Funded by addition of 3% to existing surcharge rate on telephone use within California, portions of tobacco taxes, and criminal and traffic penalties. Limits surcharge collected by residential telephone service providers to 50 cents per month. Monthly cap does not apply to cell phones or business lines. Excludes funding from government appropriations limitations, and telephone surcharge from Proposition 98's school spending requirements.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Fiscal impact statement

The fiscal impact statement was as follows:

“

Increased state revenues of about $500 million annually from an increased surcharge on telephone bills that would be used (1) to reimburse physicians and hospitals for uncompensated emergency medical care and (2) for other specified purposes. This amount would probably grow in future years. Continued funding of about $32 million annually in Proposition 99 tobacco tax funds to reimburse physicians and community clinics for uncompensated medical services.

”

Support

Supporters

• California Healthcare Association
• California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians

Opposition

Opponents

• SBC Communications
• Verizon
• Cingular Wireless

Path to the ballot

In California, the number of signatures required for a combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute is equal to 8 percent of the votes cast at the preceding gubernatorial election. For a combined initiative filed in 2004, at least 598,105 valid signatures were required.

See also

2004 Measures

• 2004 Measures
• Healthcare on the ballot
• Taxes on the ballot
• 2004 legislative sessions

California

• California ballot measures
• California ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• 2004 General Election Voter Guide