How To Fix California -- No Matter What Voters Decide On May 19
MEMO TO MEDIA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
To: Political reporters, Interested parties
From: Rick Jacobs, Chair, Courage Campaign
Date: May 18, 2009
RE: How To Fix California — No Matter What Voters Decide On May 19
California faces the worst budget crisis in decades. That crisis will still be with us on Wednesday, regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s election.
The Courage Campaign was founded to build a progressive, independent voice to help the people of this state resurrect the California that was once the envy of the world.
Beginning May 20, the Courage Campaign will offer a three-part plan that restores the power of the people, restores accountability to the budget process and puts this state back on track.
STEP ONE: Restore democracy and accountability in our budget process — majority vote for budgets
The first step to fixing the state’s crisis is to restore democracy and accountability to our state’s budget by allowing the legislature to make fiscal decisions by a majority vote.
Under the current system, nobody appears responsible for the state’s massive crisis. Right-wing Republicans are in the minority in the state legislature, but use the 2/3rds rule to block the policies of the majority. Voters have chosen the Democrats to be in the majority, but Democrats can’t enact their own policies, and instead blame the Republicans for obstruction. Even worse, the 2/3rds rule has led to disreputable and possibly illegal vote-trading, as exemplified by Sen. Abel Maldonado’s list of demands that he won in exchange for his vote during the February budget debate.
Only two other states — the small states of Rhode Island and Arkansas — mirror California in mandating a 2/3rds majority to pass a budget. That must end. Together, with other groups, we will organize to place an initiative on the ballot to change this requirement to a simple majority.
STEP TWO: Restore responsible taxation of the wealthy and corporations
California needs to follow the tax policies of President Barack Obama and reverse three decades of giving tax breaks to the wealthy and to large corporations.
Under Republican governors Ronald Reagan and Pete Wilson, the highest income earners in this state paid taxes at a higher marginal rate than they do today. Now, an individual making $900,000 pays the same tax rate as someone making $50,000. Oil companies pay the same property tax rate as an elderly homeowner — and unlike Alaska and Texas, oil companies pay no tax on the oil they extract in California.
Since 1978, the tax burden in California has become deeply regressive, as billions in tax cuts skewed toward the wealthy increased pressure on working Californians to make up the difference to avoid crippling budget cuts.
Instead of firing teachers and denying children health benefits to support tax breaks for the rich, it’s time to mobilize a grassroots movement to make spending accountable and taxation equitable.
STEP THREE: Call for a Constitutional Convention
California’s Constitution currently looks like a telephone book. We send good people to Sacramento to operate in a system that dooms them to failure. Term limits, the budget process, the initiative process — to name a few ills — condemn this state to the worst possible government.
The Courage Campaign urges the state legislature to call a Constitutional Convention now. Otherwise, we will work with a broad coalition to place an initiative on the ballot to allow voters to call for a Constitutional Convention themselves. (In September 2008, Courage Campaign members were among the first in the state to support a Constitutional Convention.)
A modern Constitutional Convention that focuses on structural issues will restore functionality to state government. That’s why the Courage Campaign trusts the people of this state to convene a convention and effectively hit the “reset” button for state government — to clean the slate and start over.
California’s best days are ahead. We have the most diverse population of any state in the country. We have plenty of wealth, plenty of smart, hard-working people, and plenty of resources to meet the challenges that face us. If we trust the people to engage California’s problems, we can build a bright and prosperous future for our progressive state.