Memo to Redistricting Commissioners: Beware of Those Who Protest Too Much!
On July 10, the Citizens Redistricting
Commission released their first draft of the newly drawn lines for
congressional, state legislative and Board of Equalizations districts.
Not surprisingly, several incumbents
weren’t too please, particularly those who found themselves located in a new
district where one or more fellow incumbents also resided or, in the extreme,
no district to run in at all.
But aside from them, the loudest cries
came from Latino and Republican leaders … two groups that seldom agree on
anything political.
To understand this, one has to first look
at the 2001 redistricting plan, a highly gerrymander plan drawn specifically to
protect the incumbents of both political parties.
Recapping the Budget Story: Everyone Said No
The governor said, we need to fix the state’s fiscal
condition with half tax increases and half spending cuts. He wanted a tax
election in June.
The Republicans said NO. The Republicans said they made a
pledge not to raise taxes.
The governor said they should not stick to the pledge.
The governor said he would negotiate with some Republicans
to put reform measures on the ballot along with taxes.
The Republicans offered an initial list of 53 variations of
reforms.
The governor said NO.
The Democrats and public unions said the people should just vote
on tax extensions.
Polls came out and said the tax measures would probably
lose.
The Republicans said let’s vote on taxes and reforms.
The Democrats and public unions said NO.
The Democrats and unions said the people didn’t need to vote
on taxes, that’s the legislature’s job.
Big Labor-led Group Endorses Anti-Initiative Legislation
Last week, an op-ed in the Sacramento Bee by Justine Sarver of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center urged California legislators to clampdown on the state’s initiative and referendum process by passing a number of new restrictions on the rights of Golden State citizens to petition their government.
Though she acknowledges that the California Legislature is “corporate-controlled,” Ms. Sarver nonetheless suggests that these new legislative attacks are “common-sense reforms.” Common sense? Many of the bills endorsed by Ms. Sarver and her K Street outfit have been struck down in other states as unconstitutional violations of fundamental First Amendment rights.
To Stay in L.A.
These days, a company
looking to move to a bigger location has suitors. That was true for our
company, Equipois, a four-year old venture-funded company with an exoskeleton
technology that lets people maneuver objects as if weightless. The technology can greatly reduce workplace
injuries and increase productivity.
For several years, we had
been approached by cities (and even countries) that said they would be thrilled
to be our new home, with nice incentive packages to welcome us. As a management
team, especially one tasked with taking good care of outside investors’ money,
we had to take such offers seriously.
For us though, the
decision to stay in Los Angeles was compelling.
Our technology comes from an invention that originated on film sets –
the Steadicam, pioneered by inventor Garrett Brown. Yet we sell to major manufacturers and
utilize the supply chain that services the aerospace industry.
L.A. is the rare city
that sits at the convergence of both entertainment and manufacturing; in a few
minutes you can drive from movie studios to huge factories operated by Boeing
and Northrop Grumman, as well as scores of top quality machining operations.