CPR for California
Citizens Plan to Reform California
California is in crisis. Our economy is mired in recession. The jobless rate is rising as middle- and working-class families struggle to stay afloat. A warming globe, soaring gas prices, unaffordable health care, and unavailable education are just a few of the problems we face.
Our state's political system is broken. For thirty years, we have careened from budget crisis to budget crisis as the legislature becomes increasingly gridlocked and held hostage by a right-wing minority. Millions of dollars every year are spent on meaningless or damaging ballot initiatives that often make matters worse. The voice of the voter is drowned by a sea of money, dispiriting the average Californian.
One hundred years ago, California also faced a political crisis because corporations and the wealthy few exclusively dominated government. In 1910 Hiram Johnson led a progressive reform movement that sought to break the power of plutocrats and return power to the people. It worked, for a time. But Johnson's system has been captured by the moneyed insiders he tried to defeat.
Democracy can solve California’s problems. To produce more democracy, we need to reform our state’s governance. We propose CPR for California to renew the progressive legacy of 1910 and to return power and prosperity to the people.
To accomplish that, we propose the following structural reforms to make our state governable again:
Fixing California's Government
California's government is broken. The legislature cannot properly budget the state's finances. The initiative process has failed. The influence of a wealthy few trumps the voice of the average voter. Before we can tackle the economic and environmental problems that bedevil our state, we must fix the broken politics that produced those problems.
The following reforms will return power to the people by minimizing the influence of wealth and ending the ability of a minority of legislators to hold the state hostage.POLITICAL REFORM:
Implement a clean money system that provides full public financing of state elections. This system is used successfully in Arizona and Maine, providing a level playing field for candidates. Equally important, it frees politicians from dependence on contributions from corporations and other wealthy donors. Transactional politics works against the progressive heritage of California government. Clean money can help to eliminate it.
Term limits reform. The current term limits are too brief thus impairing the ability of legislators to do their jobs. Short terms in office create constant "musical chairs" because legislators look ahead to the next office they want to hold, instead of focusing on the one they already hold. The short terms also give more power to lobbyists, since legislators don't have as much time to learn about the issues they face. Once they learn, they are term-limited out of office. We propose giving legislators 14 years total, which they can serve in either or both house(s). Current legislators would be exempted from this reform and would still be subject to the Prop 140 rules.
Universal Voter Registration. Secretary of State Debra Bowen has improved the quality and security of voting in California, but more must be done to protect the right of Californians to vote and to bring more voters into the political process. We propose implementing universal voter registration, eliminating the need for voter registration drives that can lead to flawed registrations that prevent qualified Californians from voting, and fighting against voter registration fraud.INITIATIVE REFORM:
Prominent Disclosure. Voters are not always aware of who supports or opposes an initiative. We propose mandating prominent disclosure of financial backers behind signature gathering efforts and campaign ads. For example this might include a big sign around the neck of a signature gatherer disclosing who is paying them, or large font disclosure at the beginning and end of a TV ad.
Campaign Contribution Limits. Currently, donations to ballot campaign committees are unlimited. We propose implementing the Center for Governmental Studies' recommendations of limiting such contributions to $100,000.
Legislative Review. Too many initiatives have impeded the ability of the people's representatives to do their work. Many initiatives wind up badly written and causing more problems than they solve. We support the ability of citizens to circumvent the legislature to make laws. After all, that's what initiatives are all about, but we also believe the legislature should have an opportunity to negotiate with an initiative proponent to craft legislation acceptable to all parties, at least at first. Nothing in this process would prevent proponents from going to the people if they wish.
Signature Reform. In order to help level the playing field with initiatives backed by wealthy individuals and corporations, we propose to lengthen the time allotted an initiative proponent to gather signatures to six months. And we propose that signature gathering occur securely online.BUDGET REFORM:
Restore Majority Rule. California is one of only three states that requires a 2/3 vote to approve a budget or raise taxes. (It is the only state that also allows line item veto power.) The 2/3 requirement is the principle cause of the annual budget delays that cripple California. A tiny minority with just over 1/3 of the seats routinely holds the state hostage until its demands are met. Further, the 2/3 rule applies to voter-approved taxes, which is an unusually high figure. Tax proposals routinely receive between 55% and 60% support, which in any other case would be considered a large margin of victory. The majority should rule, as it does in the US Congress and in 47 states.
Biennial Budgets. The yearly budget fight hurts schools, health care providers, and other vital government services which cannot depend on stable funding in such a situation. This makes government service less efficient and effective. We propose that California follow Washington State's model of budgeting for two years at a time, with budgets approved in odd-numbered years. For example, under this process, in 2011 the Legislature would adopt a budget that would last from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2013, and so on.
Long-term Budget Planning. To provide for smarter planning, and to reduce the legislature's desire to spend an unexpected windfall on new spending or on tax cuts, we propose that the legislature every five years adopt a strategic spending plan that would help shape spending priorities for extended periods of time. This would again provide more stability to public services and help legislators determine how to spend revenues.EQUAL RIGHTS REFORM:
Restore Marriage Equality. A state constitution that singles out any group of people for unequal treatment is neither fair nor democratic. To ensure that all Californians enjoy full citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws, as well as the fundamental dignity of being able to marry the person whom you love, marriage rights must be restored.
Protect the Constitution. The California Constitution has traditionally been a vehicle for the extension and protection of individual rights. It must not be used to take away rights from any group or individual. We propose amending the Constitution to clarify that neither the voters nor the Legislature may propose or approve an amendment that restricts or eliminates civil rights, and to ensure that such rights can never be put up to a public vote in any form.