Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Sacholes Prop Countdown: Prop 20 is a redistricting prop

REDISTRICTING OF CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.  

INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

Removes elected representatives from process of establishing congressional districts and transfers that authority to recently-authorized 14-member redistricting commission comprised of Democrats, Republicans, and respresentatives of neither party. Fiscal Impact: No significant net change in state redistricting costs.

Yes:  This gives redistricting rights to the Citizens Redistricting Commission, a commission established by Proposition 11 in 2008.
NO:  The responsibility to determine the boundaries of California's districts in the U.S. House of Representatives would remain with the Legislature.

Voting Yes on Proposition 20 expands the work of the voter-approved independent Citizens Redistricting Commission so that the Commission, rather than politicians, draws election districts for members of Congress. It ensures voters can finally hold politicians accountable through fair elections. And if the politicians don’t do their jobs, Prop. 20 makes it easier to vote them out of office!

No: Sacramento Bee: "While [supporters of Proposition 20] are right to say that many congressional districts are drawn for purely partisan purposes and unfairly protect incumbents, reform needs to happen on the national level, not just in a single state. California's interests could be harmed if it alone undertook an experiment in reforming how congressional districts are drawn. Imprudently mapped districts could leave the state with far less seniority in Congress than it now enjoys, giving the state less clout over appropriations and legislation."

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