Contra Costa November Ballot: The Taco Politics Voter-Guide Slate

Contra Costa, your November ballot is bringing us a full platter: state candidates, congressional and Assembly races, 14 statewide propositions, and a regional transit tax. This article walks through the recommendations in the Contra Costa Republican voter guide shared with Taco Politics. These are party recommendations—not an official county voter guide—and the measures deserve to be understood beyond a graphic or check mark.

The candidates for governor debated on September 30, clashing over immigration, President Trump, homelessness, household costs, and taxes. The November choices are Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton.

The Candidates for Governor

The guide recommends Steve Hilton for governor. His campaign focuses on lowering taxes and regulations, building more housing, and changing the state's approach to homelessness. Becerra, a former California attorney general and U.S. health secretary, emphasizes housing and utility costs, expanding health coverage, and continuing California's clean-energy goals.

From my conservative Latino perspective, I'm backing Steve Hilton. I want a governor who will take affordability seriously. We need someone who will challenge policies that drive up costs and make state government answer for its results. But candidates have to show their work. Ask how a tax cut would be paid for. How would a housing plan actually reduce costs? How would a homelessness policy be carried out?

Heritage alone doesn't tell us how someone will govern. Judge candidates by their records, proposals, and accountability—not by a label.

Other Recommended Candidates

The voter guide also recommends Gloria Romero for lieutenant governor; Michael Gates for attorney general; Herb Morgan for controller; Don Wagner for secretary of state; Jennifer Hawks for treasurer; and Sonja Shaw for superintendent of public instruction.

For Congress, it recommends Rudy Recile in District 8, John McBride in District 9, and Jeff Frese in District 10. For the State Assembly, it recommends Arthur Webb in District 15 and Joe Rubay in District 16. Check your own ballot to see which district races apply to you.

State Propositions: The Taco Politics Slate

California's official list has 14 statewide propositions. Here's my conservative Latino recommendation on each one, with the central question voters should consider for every measure: what does it cost, who pays, who benefits, and how will we know it worked?

• Prop 1 — NO. It authorizes $11.25 billion in housing bonds, with estimated repayment costs of $500–$600 million a year for about 25 years. California needs more homes, but it also needs to reduce the costs and barriers that make building expensive.

  
  

• Prop 2 — NO. It raises the ceiling on deposits into the state rainy-day fund. Saving for a downturn makes sense, but voters should examine how the change affects spending limits and taxpayer protections.

  
  

• Prop 3 — NO. It would make a high-income tax increase permanent instead of letting it expire in 2031. California should show it can manage the money it already collects before making a temporary tax permanent.

  
  

• Prop 4 — NO. It would let state and local governments create public financing for political campaigns. Taxpayers should not be required to subsidize candidates they may not support.

  
  

• Prop 5 — NO. It changes how statewide vacancies are filled after a recall, delaying the election of a successor. I would keep voters' choice of a replacement connected to the recall process.

  
  

• Prop 37 — NO. It authorizes a loan program for eligible middle-income buyers purchasing certain newly built homes. Borrowers would repay the loans, but government should address housing costs before expanding its role in mortgage lending.

  
  

• Prop 38 — NO. It authorizes $8.4 billion in bonds for immunology research, with estimated repayment costs of $500–$600 million a year for about 20 years. Medical research matters, but voters should scrutinize the debt and allocation of funds.

  
  

• Prop 39 — YES. It would require government-issued ID for in-person voting and add identification requirements to mail ballots. Stronger voter verification should come with clear rules eligible voters can follow.

  
  

• Prop 40 — NO. It proposes a one-time tax on certain billionaires' assets, with most revenue directed to health care. I am concerned about the long-term economic and revenue risks of a new wealth tax. Props 41 and 42 are competing measures that could block Prop 40 if either receives more votes.

  
  

• Prop 41 — YES. It requires audits of new state special-tax programs and brings those revenues under the state spending limit. Before asking voters for a new tax, taxpayers deserve accountability.

  
  

• Prop 42 — YES. It would prohibit certain new state taxes on personal property and certain retroactive taxes. I support limits on new taxes aimed at people's assets. Like Prop 41, it could also block Prop 40.

  
  

• Prop 43 — YES. It raises the vote threshold from a majority to two-thirds for certain voter-proposed local special taxes. I support a higher bar before approving them.

  
  

• Prop 44 — NO. It would require certain community health clinics to spend at least 90% of revenue on program services, with penalties for failing to meet that rule. I am cautious about another statewide mandate with new enforcement costs.

  
  

• Prop 45 — YES. It would set timelines for environmental reviews and court rulings on certain housing and infrastructure projects. California needs to build faster, while voters weigh the changes to environmental review and local input.

  
  

Prop check: 1 NO • 2 NO • 3 NO • 4 NO • 5 NO • 37 NO • 38 NO • 39 YES • 40 NO • 41 YES • 42 YES • 43 YES • 44 NO • 45 YES

Contra Costa's Regional Measure: RTM

A yes vote on Measure RTM would create a half-cent sales tax in Contra Costa County for 14 years as part of a regional transit-funding plan. Supporters say it would help maintain service. Opponents say agencies should reorganize and use existing funds before asking residents to pay another tax.

The guide says OPPOSE. My recommendation is NO. Before asking families and small businesses for another sales tax, transit agencies should show how they'll control costs, use existing funding, and improve service.

Closing Thoughts

That is the voter-guide slate: the recommended candidates, the state propositions, and NO on Measure RTM. Your full ballot may include other races and measures based on your address. Check the official sample ballot, confirm your districts, and read the proposition text. A check mark is a recommendation—not a substitute for knowing what you're voting on.

California's ballot may be longer than the line at a taco truck after church, but take the time to read it. Your vote is your voice.

So, are you ready to make your choice? The future is in your hands!