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California voters decide Proposition 40 on a one-time tax on billionaires

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 4 outlets. No right-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered it yet.

5 articles in total, 1 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Older man in glasses speaking at a microphone, pointing, before a large BILLIONAIRES sign
Image via The IndependentHow images are chosenReport this image

Californians vote on Proposition 40 on Tuesday, November 3. The measure would impose a one-time 5 percent tax on net worth above $1 billion, according to The Independent and Business Insider. France 24 says the revenue would fund the state’s health care system. CNBC reports that tax experts see a competing measure banning state taxes on retirement accounts as a possible challenge that could kill the tax. Business Insider reports, citing state filings, that committees opposing the measure reported about $130 million in contributions through October 22, against about $33 million for supporters. An opinion piece at Hot Air says the tax targets about 200 billionaires living in California.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. Editors read every story. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Californians vote on Proposition 40 on November 3.

    Reported byLeft1Center1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Business Insider
    Center
    France 24
    Far Right
    Hot Air

  2. Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5 percent tax on net worth above $1 billion.

    One side only: the leftReported byLeft2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    Business Insider, The Independent

  3. France 24 says the one-time tax would fund the state’s health care system.

    One outletFrance 24· Center

  4. Tax experts say a competing measure banning state taxes on retirement accounts could challenge the billionaire tax.

    One outletCNBC· Center

  5. State filings show opposing committees reported about $130 million in contributions through October 22, against about $33 million for supporters.

    One outletBusiness Insider· Left

  6. An opinion piece says the tax targets about 200 billionaires living in California.

    One outletHot Air· Far Right

How each side tells it

Compare views

All sides report that Californians vote on Proposition 40, a one-time tax on billionaires. Left coverage stresses Silicon Valley money and the tax as a first for any state, centre coverage stresses the health funding and a rival measure, and the right’s only piece calls it an actual wealth tax on about 200 billionaires.

  • the left

    2 outlets

    Left headlines frame the vote through Silicon Valley reaction and money, or as a first-in-the-nation tax on billionaires’ wealth, with more drama in the Business Insider piece.

    Proposition 40: How California could become the first US state to tax Billionaires' wealth
    The IndependentLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    2 outlets

    Center headlines report the vote in neutral terms, while CNBC frames a rival ballot measure as a ‘poison pill’ that could kill the billionaire tax.

    The 'poison pill' ballot measure that could kill the California billionaire tax
    CNBCCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    0 outlets · 1 opinion

    Only Hot Air, an opinion piece, covers the vote from this side; its headline is neutral, but its description calls the measure an actual wealth tax on about 200 billionaires.

    A Final Look Before Voters Decide on the California Wealth Tax
    Hot AirFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left3

    enormous spendingfilled with dramashaking up Silicon Valley executives

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right1

    demand they hand over

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded verb

    demand they hand overMore neutral: require them to pay

    The verb demand presents the required payment as a forceful seizure rather than a tax obligation.

    If it passes, the state will tally up all their wealth and then demand they hand over 5 percent of it.

    Used byHot Air (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    enormous spendingMore neutral: large spending

    The word enormous judges the scale of spending without giving a figure that readers could weigh themselves.

    …net worth, a ballot measure that has split liberal leaders and drawn enormous spending from the ultra-rich.

    Used byThe Independent (Left)

  • Sensational language

    filled with dramaMore neutral: The campaign has drawn wide attention.

    Describes the campaign with a dramatic phrase rather than with the facts of the measure.

    …to the latest episode of "How to Tax a Billionaire: California Edition" — it's filled with drama, tech celebrities, and there's a big pot of money at stake!

    Used byBusiness Insider (Left)

  • Sensational language

    shaking up Silicon Valley executivesMore neutral: a contest that has drawn attention from Silicon Valley executives

    Presents the vote as upsetting executives in dramatic terms, which the excerpt does not document.

    …assets over $1 billion." The vote has started a showdown that's been shaking up Silicon Valley executives for months.

    Used byBusiness Insider (Left)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

2 outlets

Leads with

  • Silicon Valley executives’ campaign money
  • tech elite waiting on the vote
  • first US state to tax billionaires’ wealth

Leaves out

  • competing retirement-account tax ban measure

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 2 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

2 outlets

Leads with

  • Tuesday vote on the ballot measure
  • health care funding goal
  • competing retirement-account measure

Leaves out

  • Silicon Valley campaign spending

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 2 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • CNBCCenter

    The 'poison pill' ballot measure that could kill the California billionaire tax

    The strongest challenge to California's billionaire tax could be a competing ballot measure that bans state taxes on retirement accounts, say tax experts.

    Read at CNBC (opens in a new tab)
  • France 24Center

    Californians vote on ballot initiative to impose one-time tax on billionaires

    This Tuesday, Californians are voting on a landmark plan to impose a one-time tax on billionaires to fund the state's healthcare system. We take a closer look. Also on the show: global oil prices fell sharply on the eve of the US midterm elections. …

    Read at France 24 (opens in a new tab)

From the right

0 outlets · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • an actual wealth tax
  • about 200 billionaires
  • 5 percent of their wealth
See the headline from the rightHide the headlines
  • Hot AirFar RightOpinion

    A Final Look Before Voters Decide on the California Wealth Tax

    Given that the billionaires' wealth tax is being voted on tomorrow in California, I thought we should take one final look at it. I've described the basics many times but very briefly this is not just another tax on income. …

    Read at Hot Air (opens in a new tab)

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    1 hr 51 min later

    Its first report, Nov 3, 10:42 AM EST

  • Center

    First to report

    France 24, Nov 3, 8:51 AM EST

  • Right

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. France 24CenterNov 3, 8:51 AM EST
  2. CNBCCenterNov 3, 9:46 AM EST
  3. The IndependentLeftNov 3, 10:42 AM EST
  4. Business InsiderLeftNov 3, 11:11 AM EST

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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