Another View: Trying to unreform California 's reform

San Gabriel Valley Tribune
February 20, 2010

Is this really the best California 's reform time to work for the status quo?

Apparently, politicians think so. Two years ago, California voters approved setting up a new citizens committee that would redraw political districts. The objective is to reform the redistricting process by making it less partisan.

In effect, what has been happening is that the politicians take care of one another by carving out districts every 10 years where incumbents pretty much have to be convicted of multiple felonies in order to lose.

Safe districts, in turn, have been blamed for creating governmental gridlock. Elected representatives, with no fear of losing re-election bids and, in the California Legislature, termed out eventually anyway, have little incentive to compromise.

The political parties don't want to lose their power to determine the electoral futures of politicians. So they're backing a counter measure that would disband the citizens committee before it can do any damage.

That explains why Reps. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, and Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, who represent Santa Cruz County , gave $10,000 apiece to the campaign that would get rid of the redistricting panel.

Farr told the Sentinel he doesn't like the concept of a redistricting committee and that the current system benefits district residents. Farr called for a "return to basics."

In any case, voters are indicating they've had enough of political business as usual.

That's true for California , with its broken budget process and legislative gridlock, and for Washington , with its out-of-control spending and endless nest-feathering.

Come to think of it - maybe incumbents should be worried.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel