Typically, large organizations like corporations, unions and political parties are responsible for the largest contributions in political campaigns; individuals generally contribute less. In the 2016 election cycle in California, however, a few individuals are making a huge financial impact.
Consider Proposition 54, which would prohibit the Legislature from passing any bill unless it’s been published online for at least 72 hours prior to the vote. Like four other ballot propositions (Propositions 51, 58, 59 and 65), no money has been raised to oppose the idea. But unlike any other proposition, over 99 percent of the $10.6 million raised to support Proposition 54 has come from one individual donor: Charles T. Munger Jr., a Stanford physicist and the son of the billionaire vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway.
The campaign for Proposition 53, which would require voters to sign off on deals that require taxes to pay for public infrastructure bonds, is completely funded by Dean and Joan Cortopassi, Stockton-area farmers who are concerned about the potential effect of changes to the state’s water distribution plan on their land.
The Cortopassis have contributed more than $4.5 million to support the measure while a broad coalition of interest groups, including the California Democratic Party, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and construction unions have raised over $5.5 million to stop it, thanks to a contribution of $1.7 million from the Brown for Governor 2014 committee.
Tom Steyer, the billionaire investor who’s spent millions to support measures that would curb the impacts of climate change, is another individual who's spending big. Steyer has given $5.5 million to support Proposition 56, which would increase the state’s tobacco tax and direct more money into health care programs. He's fighting a financial uphill battle, though. Proposition 56 advocates have raised $23 million so far, while opponents, led by the tobacco lobby, have chipped in about $66 million.