The Redistricting Commission: Now To The Courts
Act One is over: The Redistricting Commission has adopted
its plans; all that remains is final certification August 15. Act Two now awaits: court action against the
plans.
The
constitution gives the California Supreme Court "original and exclusive
jurisdiction in all proceedings in which a certified final map is challenged,"
and the Commission has "sole legal standing to defend any action regarding a
certified final map." Additionally, the
maps must be submitted to the United States Department of Justice for
pre-clearance to show they do not regress minority voting opportunities in four
counties that fall under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Further, the maps could be challenged in
federal court for violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by providing
insufficient opportunities for minorities to win elections. Communities could sue under the state
constitution over how their areas are divided up.
While
there are many opportunities for legal challenge, as practical matter only one
of the four maps is likely to be seriously challenged, and even that is
uncertain. The Assembly map is very
incumbent friendly, both parties are satisfied, and the current political
balance is pretty much retained. Take
Assembly off the table. The same is true
of the congressional map; a number of incumbents in both parties are given bad
districts, but that does not rise to a constitutional challenge, so take
Congress off the table. The Board of
Equalization map pretty much retains the current Board structure; no challenge
there.
OMG! Ted Costa Is Right On Pensions!
You want proof positive that the debate over how to fix
pensions for California public workers is stale and dumb?
How about
this? Ted Costa has the smartest proposal for pension reform out there.
Costa’s
newly filed initiative is long and complicated and, in a few places, crazy. But
Costa, the original proponent of the recall of Gray Davis and frequent filer of
initiatives, has – more than anyone else with a pension proposal – gotten the
big stuff right.
Costa does not propose, as so many
do, to replace the current pensions system with a two-tiered system, with no
pensions for new employees. His initiative would keep the pensions and impose
all sorts of new caps and rules to limit pensions. But the retirement security
of a defined benefit plan is preserved for all.
Lessons Learned from California: An Effort to Scuttle Parent Trigger
An interesting email arrived yesterday from Parent Revolution, the group that
has pushed the Parent Trigger concept in California. Since Parent Trigger has
gained a foothold here, a teachers’ union, using "lessons learned from
California" devised a scheme to stop it elsewhere.
Parent Trigger is a new California law that allows parents
to transform their children’s failing school if 51% of the parents sign a
petition to force the school district to make changes.
The American Federation of Teachers plan came to light when
a 19 page powerpoint
presentation from the Connecticut branch of the AFT found itself onto the
website Drop
Out Nation.
Three times in the presentation California’s success in
implementing the Parent Trigger is mentioned. An additional reference is made
to former California state senator Gloria Romero, an advocate for Parent
Trigger. The theme related to California: We
learned from the mistakes made in California that resulted in Parent Trigger
becoming a reality. Here’s how to stop it spreading further.
How Long Will You Enjoy Flying The Friendly Skies With An All-Volunteer, De-Funded FAA?
UPDATE: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announces deal to end FAA shutdown. The Washington Post article
Following the Debt Ceiling Bloodbath, Congress went home for the Summer recess, leaving the Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA") unfunded and its employees working on a volunteer basis, without pay. 4,000 FAA employees are out of work (indefinitely furloughed), and those who are working, like critical airport safety inspectors (who are constantly checking airport runways, lighting and the many things that assure our safety in the air), are still working, but not drawing any paychecks. This will not change until after Labor Day, when Congress comes back.
Airport safety inspectors must travel to various airports as part of their employment responsibilities. From now until after Labor Day, these FAA employees who keep our skies safe for some 5,000+ commercial flights in the air over the US at any one time daily, have been asked to put their travel expenses on their own personal credit cards. You know, the same credit cards where major banks line up at the Fed Reserve window to get their money nearly free (actually, not free, at taxpayer expense), then lend it back to you via your pocket plastic, at rates which can approach and even exceed 30% per annum. Nice.