by Webmaster

Vote Yes on 20 – No on 27

Beware of Proposition 27 – the most cynical, anti-voter initiative on this November’s ballot. This power grab by the State’s politicians would be a quantum leap backwards at a time when Californians are hungry for true political reform. Don’t be fooled.

Gerrymandered legislative districts are one of the roots of political dysfunctions in California, Washington, D.C. and in other states across our nation. Following each decade’s census, states are charged with redrawing their legislative boundaries to account for changing demographics and population shifts. Problems arise when elected officials are the ones in charge of drawing the new district boundaries. They relish this opportunity to choose their voters rather than the other way around.

In 2001 when the districts were redrawn by the California Legislature, the result was oddly-shaped districts that protected incumbents and killed any possibility for electoral competition or pragmatic bipartisanship. Flash forward 10 years and we can see how that played out in Sacramento.

Fortunately, Californians approved Proposition 11 in 2008 which established a Citizens Redistricting Commission for the State’s Assembly and Senate districts. The commission – currently being formed for next year’s redistricting effort – is a transparent, public entity that will redraw boundaries based on fairness and compliance with the Voting Rights Act. That’s why nearly every newspaper editorial board, good government group and a majority of voters supported Proposition 11.

The next logical step is to expand redistricting reform to also include Congressional boundaries.   Proposition 20 would do just that by directing the new citizens commission to handle the House of Representatives at the same time they redraw the state Legislature’s boundaries. This saves money and it makes the entire process very clean and very transparent.

But California’s politicians have decided that they will not cede the power to redistrict to a transparent citizens commission without a fight.  In a last ditch effort, they raised the money for and qualified Proposition 27. The goal of Proposition 27 is to do away with the entire citizens commission – nullifying both Proposition 11 and Proposition 20. It would be a return to the status quo that has contributed to a decade of political dysfunction in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. 

At this moment in history we have the chance to drive a nail in the coffin of political gerrymandering that allows elected officials to choose their voters by drawing their own district boundaries. Finish the job by voting yes on Proposition 20 and no on Proposition 27. This is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to give California voters a real voice in the election of those who represent us in Sacramento and in Washington, D.C.

And that's The Business Perspective.