11 Reasons to Vote Yes on Prop. 11
The most important initiative on November’s ballot is Proposition
11. In simple terms, Prop 11 will take redistricting out of the
hands of the legislature and create a 14 person (5 Democrats, 5
Republicans and 4 others) independent committee. Every 10 years the
California State Legislature goes into a dark room, redraws the
legislative districts to virtually guarantee the status quo (just
about the only time the two parties can agree on anything), and
effectively prevents real reform in Sacramento for another 10 years.
Let me give you 11 excellent reasons to support Prop 11 this November
and end the current incumbent protection program.
1. Last month’s Field poll shows that only 27% of Californians think
our legislature is doing a good job. Yet, 99% of our state
legislators are reelected. Either we are stupid, or the system is
rigged. Personally, I would rather think we’re not stupid.
NewsFlash: Field poll finds voters are kindly
The most notorious workplace benefits bill of the year, AB 2716, will be considered by a key Senate committee today, and on behalf of supporters, the Field Research Corporation has released a doozy of a poll. By a three-to-one margin, voters support a state law to guarantee that workers receive a minimum number of sick days from their employer. Also, three-quarters of voters “are concerned” about the millions of estimated workers without paid sick days. Moreover, the same 75% – 25% margin finds voters believe paid sick day laws will significantly increase the cost of doing business and the costs will be passed on to customers.
So voters are basically a sympathetic bunch, and when asked they acknowledge that new benefits aren’t free. But the poll doesn’t ask what would be the only useful question: given a choice between a compassionate benefit and certain job losses or pay cuts, which is a higher priority?
The Veto Strategy
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said he will not sign any bill that comes his way until a budget is passed.
He made this statement at a press conference in which he called for consequences for legislators who do not complete their responsibility of passing a budget on time. He had another plan for the legislators’ failure — cut their pay if no budget is in place and don’t make it up with back pay once the budget is passed.
The second idea is wishful thinking. The former, he has the power to do. If he applies his veto pen to all measures that come to his desk before a budget is signed, many legislators will be disappointed. And, probably only a handful of bills, if that, will be able to muster the two-thirds vote to override the veto.
This veto plan is a good one. Not only because the governor can put pressure on the legislature to pass the budget, but because it may focus attention on the myriad of new laws we face in California every year.
Last year the legislature passed 964 bills. The governor vetoed 214, a bit less than a quarter of the total but he signed 750 into law.