How many initiatives in November?

OK, voters, you got a got a break in the June primary election. There were only two propositions on the ballot. But November's election will make up for i so you better start reading if you want to cast an informed vote.

Secretary of State Bruce McPherson has already assigned numbers to 13 statewide ballot initiatives. That will be in addition to any local initiatives, such as Fresno County's Measure C, a transportation sales tax. Thre Legislature could add a few more, although it appears that won't happen.

The key part of the November initiatives is the bond package put on the ballot by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative Democrats. It will be complicated to sort out and expensive if voters approve the four bonds.

The public works package would cost more than $38 billion and cover transportation needs, housing, education construction and levee repair and flood protection. We need it all, but because our leaders refused to act in a timely way, we are being asked to fix our infrastructure all at once.

In addition, a separate bond would ask for $5.4 billion for state park improvements, anti-pollution efforts and safe drinking water programs. That measure was put on the ballot by parks supporters who gathered enough signatures to qualify it for November..

Will the voters go for all these bonds? Much of it depends on how the economy is doing around election time and whether voters are concerned about the growing trend of ballot-box budgeting. We have talked about that a lot on The Bee's editorial page. Much of the state budget has been locked in by vote initiatives, putting the budgeting process on automatic pilot.

Don't we elect out legislators and governor to make those decisions? But they have ducked those tough issues, and special interests have filled the void by going directly to the voters for spending approval. It's a trend that spends the state's money without looking at the overall impact of all the spending. Not good.