Green Party of Sacramento Endorses Proposition 4 & Proposition 40

Propositions 4 and 40 will be on the ballot in November, but what are they and why do we support a “Yes” vote on each of them?

Prop 4

In 1988 California voters approved Proposition 73 which banned public funding of campaigns. Under current law, state, counties, districts, and most cities are not allowed to establish public funding options for campaigns. This has created an election atmosphere which favors the rich and powerful to be able to run for office more effectively than every day people since they can self-fund their campaigns. Quick note: public funding available in New York was a major reason Zohran Mamdani was able to launch his campaign and be so successful.

While public funding of campaigns is not the end-all and be-all of campaign reform (in fact, we also endorse ranked choice voting for the City of Sacramento and beyond) it could be an important step in beginning to level the playing field in California campaigns moving forward.

Prop 40

This proposition is also known as the “Billionaire Tax” as it would levy a one-time 5% tax on California’s billionaires to refill the coffers for necessary programs - like healthcare, SNAP, and education - cut by the Trump administration. The main argument against wealth taxes is that it will cause rich people to leave the state. This tax is retroactive to billionaires in California as of January 1, 2026 so this argument is moot.

The Green Party of Sacramento joins the Green Party of California in an endorsement of this proposition while also pushing for further tax and finance reform beyond a one-time tax.