Wealthy Stockton farmer Dean Cortopassi thinks politicians regularly pile up debt that the public would object to if it had the chance. This led him to fund a signature-gathering campaign that placed Proposition 53 on the Nov. 8 ballot. The measure mandates that voters must approve revenue bonds for public works projects if they exceed $2 billion and if the projects are funded, managed or owned by the state government or by a joint agency formed with the state. Revenue bonds are paid off by ratepayers and project users. General obligation bonds, paid out of government general funds, aren’t covered.