If delegates chosen for a constitutional convention need schooling in how California’s governance system works, how will they be educated? That question came to mind Tuesday while watching the Joint Legislative Hearing on Constitutional and Budget Reform chaired by Senator Loni Hancock.
The hearing reviewed past efforts at constitutional reform, heard about current reform proposals, particularly the efforts to promote a constitutional convention and reforms fostered by the California Forward group funded by foundations, then heard from a panel of like-minded observers of government (who appeared to agree it should be easier to pass the budget and raise taxes).
But, what stayed with me was the comment by the League of Women Voters representative, Trudy Schafer. She offered the League to help educate the delegates to the convention. Her comment was made after expressing the League’s position on a number of governance issues. She was quite up front about the fact that constitutional change should include Proposition 13: Reduce the two-thirds vote for taxes; raise property taxes on business; and even, consider the side-by-side property tax differences on residential property.
It’s all well and good for the League to have its positions and be willing to share them with potential delegates. The delegates should hear that point of view. But, the big question is: How will the delegates learn about the way California works – and more importantly, who will teach them?
This is an important matter considering that one of the leading proposals to choose delegates to the convention, if one comes to be, is to pick 400 delegates from the public at large.
There was concern voiced about potential delegates and their qualifications and knowledge, or lack thereof, from some of those who testified at the hearing. If names are essentially picked from a hat, the odds are there will be plenty of delegates who will need tutoring about the ins and outs of California government. And, whether certain measures are positive for the state’s citizens or not may depend of who is offering the information.
John Grubb of the Bay Area Council and spokesperson for Repair California, which is pushing for the convention, told me they have thought for “hours” about how delegates will be brought up to speed. Different options are being considered on how to educate delegates if the “citizens option” of selecting delegates moves forward.
Grubb said the leading model is to engage the Legislative Analysts’ office to advise the delegates, but he firmly expects that the delegates will take control of the proceedings, themselves, and insist on hearing from all sides on the issues.
“I expect robust discussions,” he said.
How delegates are chosen seems to be the thorniest problem for proponents to overcome in gaining support for a constitutional convention. The issue of how the delegates will be educated adds to the difficulty of their task.