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volume 131, number 101
MONDAY, October 29, 2012
Measures and propositions on the Nov. 6 ballot A summary of four measures and 11 props
By PAAYAL ZAVERI Aggie News Writer
The election this November has a number of decisive measures and propositions on the ballot. The Aggie summarized the four measures and 11 propositions on the Nov. 6 ballot to inform voters of what to expect. “As far as I’m concerned, the most important thing to James Kim / Aggie keep in mind is that your vote counts. You should go to the polling place and cast a ballot,” said Freddie Oakley, Yolo County Clerk/Recorder from the Yolo County elections office. The details on the measures were compiled from Ballotpedia. org, and information on the propositions was collected from the California General Election
Voter Guide. More facts on each can be found at voterguide.sos. ca.gov/propositions.
Proposition 30 Prop. 30 is Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative to fund education. It aims to increase taxes on earnings over $250,000 for seven years and the sales tax by a quarter cent for four years. The money would be used for schools and public safety realignment funding. The impact would increase tax revenues through 2018-19, with an average of about $6 billion annu-
ally. Planned cuts to education in 2012-13 would not occur. If the proposition is denied, major cuts to public education will take place and there would be no increase in taxes. Proposition 31 Prop. 31 would establish a two-year state budget. It would change certain fiscal responsibilities of the legislature and governor, particularly local budgeting and oversight procedures. Additionally, local governments would be able to change the application of laws governing state-funded programs in order to develop their own procedures for developing state programs. A No vote on the proposition means that the responsibilities of the governor and legislature will not change. Local governments would not be given funding for new plans to coordinate services or the authority to develop their own procedures for administering state programs. Proposition 32
Voting Yes on Prop. 32 would prohibit unions and corporations from using money deducted from a worker’s paycheck for political purposes. They would be subject to additional campaign finance restrictions. It would prohibit union and corporate contributions to candidates and their committees, and contractor contributions to elected officers and their committees. The measure would cost the state and local governments about $1 million annually to enforce the requirements. A No vote would mean the existing laws would not be altered. Proposition 33 This proposition would change the law to allow auto insurance companies to set prices based on drivers’ previous auto insurance with any company. Drivers with history of prior coverage are allowed a proportional discount, while those with no history of previous coverage would have increased costs. Proposition 34 Prop. 34 repeals the death penalty and replaces it with life im-
New wine bar features self-serve wine tasting Vini offers 80 different wines from around the world
prisonment without the possibility of parole. It applies to existing death sentences. Additionally, it would give about $100 million to law enforcement agencies over the next four years for investigations of homicide and rape cases. The fiscal impact would be savings of about $130 million annually, within a few years, but this could vary. Proposition 35 This proposition increases penalties for human trafficking crimes. Offenders would have increased prison sentences and fines. It would also require human traffickers to register as sex offenders, and release all of their internet activities and identities. It would cost local and state governments a few million dollars annually to address human trafficking crimes and an annual fine revenue of a similar amount, which would be dedicated to human trafficking victims. Proposition 36 Prop. 36 revises the Three Strikes law to impose a life sentence only if the new felony
See BALLOT, page 2
News iN Brief
How loud are you? Intel visited UC Davis this fall for their “Make Noise for Ultrabook” challenge. Students from participating campuses were invited to scream or cheer as loud as they could for the chance to win new Dell Ultrabook devices for their school, an estimated cost of $10,000. Schools from across the country have submitted videos of their
ear-piercing screams, including University of Colorado, Denver; University of Texas, Austin; and Virginia Tech. To view and vote for UC Davis’ entry for the “Make Noise” Challenge, visit apps.facebook.com/ m a k e n o i s e u l t ra b o o k . Voting ends Nov. 5. — Muna Sadek
Experimental College The Experimental College is currently holding a photo scavenger hunt that began Friday and will continue until Friday. Participants in groups of two to four must take photographs that include all members with certain objects listed in the hunt’s instruction sheet. This includes pictures taken with a cow, with a carved pumpkin or with a Unitrans bus driver. Groups must also Madison Dunitz / Aggie
The wine in the self-serve stations is kept fresh through the use of inert gases pumped directly into the bottles. Customers use prepaid cards to operate the self-serve stations.
By MEE YANG
Aggie News Writer
Among a string of new businesses in Downtown Davis is Vini Wine Bar. Owned by former Davis resident Jeff Day, the bar officially opened on July 15 and is located on 611 Second St. across from the Varsity Theater. At the bar’s center, there are three circular self-serving stations with three others strewn across two adjacent walls. Above each wine bottle is a tasting note that has information about the type of wine, a description of the wine and the origin. “Today there are some wine bars like this in Napa and Obispo,” Day said. “Both feature wine from that region, but what makes mine different is that I have 80 wines from around the world.” The wine bar features jazz-inspired murals and a long white marble bar. A large flat-screen TV shows black-andwhite jazz icon series from the ‘60s while jazz is played, adding a finishing touch to the jazzy atmosphere. The main attraction, however, is the Enomatic wine preservation system that is used to keep the wine fresh. According to Enomatic USA, an enomatic system is a state-of-the-art wine preservation and serving system
Today’s weather Sunny High 76 Low 50
that uses inert gas to displace the air in open bottles of wine, allowing them to stay fresh for up to 30 days. Because wine oxidizes quickly, the quality of taste is noticeable after two or three days, Day said. The enomatic system, however, keeps the wine fresh by emitting argon into the bottle via a tube. Argon weighs two and a half times heavier than air, allowing it to prevent oxidation of the wine. Unlike other wine bars where customers normally purchase by the glass or the bottle, Vini customers purchase a tasting card in which a minimum of $10 can be added. Each circular wine system has two card slots on opposite sides in which the card is put in and remains there until the wine has been completely poured. The cards can be kept as a souvenir or for future refills. Every pour of wine is defaulted to two ounces, so if more is needed, then more than one purchase would be necessary. Day used to serve by the glass until he found that he was wasting the wine because people would purchase only one or two pours from a bottle. “We would open a bottle to do a glass and nobody might come for two or three days that would want the same wine,” Day said. “Because wine oxidizes really
quickly, you could tell the difference after a day or so.” To ensure that the wine stays fresh, Day now only keeps a certain amount of wine bottles such as six reds and six whites for those who do not want to purchase the card, but would like to purchase by the glass. So far, the place has received positive reviews from customers, Day said. The place has seen a flow of college students and an older demographic, but it’s more of an adult-driven venue. “I come two or three times a month,” said Aaron Shreve, a political science graduate student. “Most places in Davis don’t have a wide selection like this. The system’s really fun to try different wines, and cool because there’s no wait. The vibe is really different, laid back, quiet and nice.” Other than wine, the bar also serves beer and hummus, meat, olives, grapes and crisp and cheese plates provided by Stone’s Catering in Davis. Customers may also purchase wine bottles to go. Vini Wine Bar is open Tuesday from 3 to 11 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 3 p.m. to midnight and Sunday from 3 to 8 p.m.
— Muna Sadek
Aggie Abroad
Spotlight courtesy
UC Davis textile science alumna Antonia Huang is abroad with the UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) in Australia. She is pictured with 14 other exchange students on Fraser Island, Australia.
MEE YANG can be reached at city@theaggie.org.
Forecast Expect dry and warm weather during the first part of the week, followed by a chance of rain on Halloween evening. We will have to wait and see if Mother Nature gives us a trick or a treat... Brian Rico, atmospheric science major Aggie Forecasting Team
take a picture with the words “Experimental College” on it and tag the Experimental College on Facebook. The first-place team will receive free Experimental College membership for all group members and limited-edition T-shirts. Photos and names of group members can be emailed to director@ecollege.ucdavis.edu.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Mostly sunny
Chance of rain
High 75 Low 51
High 69 Low 51
What is a goblin’s favorite cheese? Monster-ella!
Allison Ferrini