Following a frustrating and record setting period before an unsatisfactory budget was signed, the Sunday papers were full of reform ideas on how California should change its governmental process and even the structure of government itself.
Fox and Hounds Daily preceded the Sunday discussion with a piece on our site Friday
by Jim Mayer, Executive of Director of California Forward. Mayer offered readers a glimpse into the dialogue his organization hosted last week on the budget process and governance problems and setting an agenda for reform.
In the “Conversation” section, Daniel Weintraub oversees for the Sacramento Bee, Weintraub and guest writers discussed different options for reforming government in California. Weintraub also listed an array of government reforms that have gained support in some quarters during the time of the stalled budget negotiations including majority votes for the budget, open primaries, changed term limits, and an expanded legislature.
Jim Boren, of the Fresno Bee, argued that a unicameral legislature was necessary to solve our dysfunctional government. Boren said the legislature would never go for the idea. However, the one state that has a unicameral legislature, Nebraska, achieved that reform in 1934 by initiative.
Boren also had a few additional ideas besides those mentioned by others for reforming the California legislature, such as limiting legislators’ pay if they don’t met yearly goals and reducing the number of bills introduced each year.
Stuart Leavenworth of the Sacramento Bee zeroed in on the idea that has gained some currency of late calling for a constitutional convention.
A number of reformers mentioned the need to improve redistricting and that will be the first test to see if Californians are ready to jump on the reform bandwagon. Proposition 11 on the November ballot would set up an independent commission to redraw legislative district lines. But, surprisingly, with all the angst among voters about California’s dysfunctional government, Prop 11 is not getting a ringing endorsement in recent polls. Support for the measure amongst likely voters was split: 38% Yes, 33% No in the recent Public Policy Institute poll.
Reformers would never argue that all their eggs are in this one Prop 11 basket, but if the redistricting reform fails, there will be no momentum to pursue other governmental reforms. Supporters and opponents of Proposition 11 understand that the reform express could be derailed with a defeat of Prop 11, which means an all out effort will be made on both sides of this measure by those who want change and those who want to preserve the status quo.