BALLOT WATCH: PROPOSITIONS 20 & 27 - Who should draw the lines?
Jim Sanders
Sacramento Bee
September 18, 2010
Two competing ballot measures target voters' decision two years ago to create an independent commission to draw legislative and Board of Equalization district boundaries.
The issue is an important one because political parties' prospects can rise or fall with the once-a-decade creation of districts for state offices, which can carve out a key challenger or tilt a seat to the left or right.
Voters in 2008 stripped the Legislature's authority to draw Assembly, Senate and Board of Equalization districts, but not those of Congress, by passing Proposition 11 with support from Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger but opposition from numerous Democratic interest groups and incumbent officeholders.
The initiative stemmed partly from controversy over a deal struck by legislative leaders in 2001 to draw maps that protected incumbents of both parties. Only one of 53 congressional seats, and none of 120 legislative seats, changed party hands in the two elections prior to Proposition 11's passage.
Even before California's first redistricting commission draws its first maps, however, voters on Nov. 2 will decide the fate of Proposition 20, which would expand its authority to include California congressional districts, and Proposition 27, to kill the panel and return power to the Legislature.
If both measures pass, the one with the greater number of "yes" votes will go into effect.
HOW THE CURRENT PROCESS WORKS
For legislative offices and the state Board of Equalization
* California has begun the process of forming the independent commission, which must consist of five Democrats, five Republicans and four independent or minor-party voters.
* Applicants will be whittled to 60 by three state auditors, then legislative leaders can cut the pool to 36, if they desire.
* Eight commissioners will be chosen randomly from the pool of finalists. They then select their six colleagues, with an eye toward ensuring diversity.
* New maps must be approved by nine of the 14 commissioners, including at least three Democrats, three Republicans and three other members.
* The panel cannot discriminate against political parties, candidates or incumbents. To the extent possible, it must develop geographically compact districts and preserve "communities of interest," such as minority or other groups that share social and economic interests.
PROP. 20
WHAT IT WOULD DO
* Shift authority to draw California's congressional boundaries from the Legislature to the independent redistricting commission.
SUPPORTERS
* Charles T. Munger Jr., physicist and major donor to GOP candidates and causes
* California Common Cause
* California Chamber of Commerce
WHAT THEY SAY
* The measure would eliminate the prospect of districts drawn from backroom deals by incumbents.
* It would create an open and public process for determining congressional districts.
OPPONENTS
* Numerous labor unions and incumbent Democrats
* Carl Pope, Sierra Club chairman
* Daniel Lowenstein, founding chairman of California Fair Political Practices Commission
WHAT THEY SAY
* Having a commission set political boundaries would be more costly and the districts drawn would not necessarily be more fair or competitive.
* Voters could not hold commissioners accountable by throwing them out of office during the one map-drawing cycle they serve.
ON THE WEB
YES -- www.yesprop20.org
NO -- N/A
PROP. 27
WHAT IT WOULD DO
* Eliminate the independent redistricting commission and returns its map-drawing authority for state offices to the Legislature.
* Bar the Legislature from spending more than $2.5 million on redistricting.
* Delete existing criteria that districts be geographically compact, if possible, and not drawn to favor a candidate or political party.
SUPPORTERS
* Democratic members of California's congressional delegation and Legislature
* Entertainment mogul Haim Saban of Saban Capital Group
* Labor unions representing public employees and building trades workers
WHAT THEY SAY
* The measure would strip redistricting from unelected commissioners and assure voters have a right to contest new congressional maps by referendum.
* It would save money, perhaps $1 million next year.
OPPONENTS
* Charles T. Munger Jr., physicist and major donor to GOP candidates and causes
* California Common Cause
* Janis R. Hirohama, president, League of Women Voters of California
WHAT THEY SAY
* It is a power grab by politicians who want safe seats to assure re-election.
* It would permit bizarrely shaped districts created in closed-door meetings.
ON THE WEB
YES -- N/A
NO -- www.noprop27.org
WHAT IT COSTS
About $3 million has been budgeted by the Legislature and $3 million in other state funds have been spent for next year's redistricting, according to the state's nonpartisan Legislative Analystfs Office, which concluded:
* Proposition 20 would not significantly change costs.
* Proposition 27 would bar the Legislature from spending more than $2.5 million for redistricting, so it likely would reduce costs by a few million dollars every 10 years, beginning in 2020.
MONEY WATCH
* Charles T. Munger Jr., a physicist, almost single-handedly is funding the fight to pass Proposition 20 and kill Proposition 27. He has donated about $3.7 million -- and his wife $508,000 -- of the roughly $4.5 million collected for the cause. Munger Jr. is the 53-year-old son of Charles Munger, longtime partner of billionaire Warren Buffett at the
Berkshire Hathaway investment firm.
* The bid to return redistricting authority to the Legislature, Proposition 27, is backed largely by entertainment mogul Haim Saban, labor unions, and incumbent Democrats in Congress and the Legislature. Of the roughly $6.2 million collected, Saban is the top donor, giving $2 million. Other major contributors are the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, $1.25 million; other labor unions, about $1 million; U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Los Angeles, more than $500,000; other Democratic politicians, about $665,000; and the Democratic Party State Central Committee, $250,000.
Sources: California secretary of state and legislative analyst offices