Posted on 04/16/2007 6:31:27 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
A Republican lawmaker proposed a political reform measure Monday that would alter term limits, legislative redistricting and campaign fundraising, saying his all-in-one approach would have the best chance of winning voter approval.
But it didn't please Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who called Sen. Roy Ashburn's legislation "an unworkable and unconstitutional crap shoot that is simply window dressing for term limits and redistricting reform."
"We need to be straight with Californians and let them weigh each of these reforms on their own merits," the Los Angeles Democrat added in a statement.
Ashburn, a Bakersfield Republican, introduced a four-part constitutional revision, part of which would take the power to draw legislative districts away from the Legislature and turn that duty over to an 11-member citizens commission.
It also would alter lawmakers' term limits, allowing legislators to serve a maximum of 12 years instead of the current limits of eight years in the Senate and six years in the Assembly. The 12 years could be served in one or two houses.
Under the third part of the proposal, legislators and the governor would be barred from taking campaign contributions from mid-May until lawmakers approved a new state budget and during the last 30 days of the Legislature's annual sessions. Additionally, the governor could not raise money in the 30 days following each session, when he is signing and vetoing hundreds of bills.
Finally, in a section Ashburn called "legislative accountability reform," the legislation would suspend lawmakers' pay and require them to meet each day if they failed to approve a new budget by the start of a new fiscal year on July 1. The suspended wages would be paid, and the daily sessions stopped, once a budget was adopted.
The accountability provisions also would require legislators to hold quarterly meetings with constituents and to maintain regularly scheduled office hours in their districts.
"In this measure, the voters have a chance to say to their elected represents, 'We want you to meet with us.... We want you to come out on regularly scheduled visits so that you are accessible to us,'" Ashburn said.
He said the measure reflected ideas that have been "kicked around" the Capitol but not adopted by lawmakers.
The redistricting portion of his measure is similar to a constitutional amendment that was approved by the Senate last year and died in the Assembly.
The term-limit provisions are a "very close copy" of an initiative that's being circulated for the February ballot by political consultants with close ties to lawmakers and the governor, Ashburn said. Like the proposed initiative, Ashburn's measure would be only partially retroactive, allowing lame duck lawmakers to run again in 2008.
The fundraising blackout language mirrors proposals made by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
But combining so many provisions in the same measure could make it a tough sell, as Nunez's comments indicate.
Democrats, and some Republicans, want a change in legislative term limits. But some Democrats are cool to the idea of giving up their power to draw districts, which can determine which party dominates the Legislature.
A spokesman for Schwarzenegger, Adam Mendelsohn, said a change in term limits should be accompanied on the ballot by a measure taking redistricting responsibility away from lawmakers. But he said the Republican governor also would like to see the Legislature stripped of the power to draw congressional districts. Ashburn's measure covers only legislative districts.
"We will look at Sen. Ashburn's proposal as well as other proposals that are introduced," Mendelsohn said.
If approved by lawmakers, Ashburn's legislation would go on the Feb. 5 presidential primary ballot next year.
Ashburn predicted it would survive a court challenge because it was classified as a constitutional revision instead of a constitutional amendment, which is limited to a single subject.
Sure is interesting how the libs start squirming when they hear “term limits”...we need the changes BAD since the libs have a death grip on California and they will fight any change that could be good for the state, which of course, would be bad for THEIR POWER BASE. The enemy within.
Let’s hope they propose to grow a spine, that would be a good start.
lol
Well, at least somebody in that place still thinks there's hope.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
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