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CA: Term-limits initiative amended to ensure Senate leader can run (Perata)
AP on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 2/16/07 | Steve Lawrence - ap

Posted on 02/16/2007 8:47:33 PM PST by NormsRevenge

Supporters amended a proposed term-limit initiative Friday, a day after it was unveiled, to ensure that it would allow the leader of the state Senate to run for re-election in 2008.

The initiative's drafters made minor changes and filed the amended version with the attorney general's office to satisfy concerns raised by an attorney for Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland.

"We think it was clear from the beginning that Sen. Perata is entitled to another term under the initiative, but we wanted to be responsive to his lawyer's concerns," said Robin Johansen, a San Leandro attorney who helped write the initiative. "We tried to nail that down."

Supporters intend for the term-limits initiative to go on a Feb. 5 ballot next year. Lawmakers are considering a bill that would schedule California's presidential primary on that date.

California's current term limits generally allow lawmakers to serve no more than 14 years in the Legislature - six in the Assembly and eight in the Senate. But filling less than half of someone else's unexpired term doesn't count toward those limits.

The initiative, announced Thursday by political consultants with ties to the Legislature and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, would reduce the total time lawmakers could serve to 12 years in most cases but allow them to spend all of it one house.

It would give current legislators closing in on their term limits a chance at another four or six years in office. Only the time a lawmaker had spent in his or her current house would count toward the 12-year limit.

So a senator who spent six years in the Assembly and is approaching eight years in the Senate could still run for another four-year Senate term in 2008 if the initiative qualifies for the February ballot and is approved by voters.

Similarly, an Assembly member who would be termed out next year under the current limits could run for up to three more two-year terms in that house.

Perata's concerns about the initiative stemmed from the fact that he was elected to the Senate in 1998 to finish the term of fellow Democrat Barbara Lee, who had won a seat in Congress.

The exception in the current term-limits law covering lawmakers who fill less than half of an unexpired term allowed him to run for re-election in 2000 and 2004. He will have served nearly 10 years in the Senate by the time voters go to the polls in November 2008.

Some of the language in the initiative filed Thursday by political consultants Gale Kaufman and Matthew Dowd raised concerns that Perata's extra time in the Senate would prevent him from seeking another term.

To ease those concerns, the initiative was amended to drop language defining when a year of service in the Legislature would begin, Johansen said. Other wording was added emphasizing that the new term limits would not apply to less than half of someone else' unexpired term.

Perata's attorney, Lance Olson, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Backers hope to put the initiative on the February ballot next year and need to collect valid signatures of at least 694,354 registered voters to do it. A bill moving swiftly through the Legislature would schedule the presidential primary for Feb. 5.

Approval of the measure on that ballot would allow lawmakers now facing term limits to run again in California's regular June primary.

Schwarzenegger also wants lawmakers to put a measure on the February ballot that would take away their power to draw legislative and congressional districts. He said Friday that he would not support the term limits measure if a redistricting proposal isn't put on the ballot, as well.

"Part of (a political reform package) could be term limits. But just to be out there by itself, I don't support that," he said in Burlingame.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; initiative; perata; termlimits

1 posted on 02/16/2007 8:47:38 PM PST by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge

I believe there was a 'term limit' proposal on the last ballot. It was called a 'term limit' initiative but it in fact raised the limit to 3 terms instead of 2. Lots of people fell for it.


2 posted on 02/16/2007 8:54:20 PM PST by originalbuckeye (I want a hero....I'm holding out for a hero (politically!))
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To: originalbuckeye

I see he's still living off the family legacy..or should I say taxpayer?


3 posted on 02/16/2007 9:00:32 PM PST by samadams2000 (Someone important make......The Call!)
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To: NormsRevenge; calcowgirl; Clintonfatigued; BlackElk

Oh, c'mon, we can do better than that. Lets change the Senate name to the House of Lords and coronate Perata as President Pro Tempore of the body for life. Why bother with those nasty elections, anyhow ? They're such bourgeois affairs for our elitist solons.


4 posted on 02/16/2007 9:09:53 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Cheney X -- Destroying the Liberal Democrat Traitors By Any Means Necessary -- Ya Dig ? Sho 'Nuff.)
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To: NormsRevenge
In fine print:
It would give current legislators closing in on their term limits a chance at another four or six years in office unless they are conservative.
5 posted on 02/16/2007 9:12:12 PM PST by Ca.Native.Southern.Soul
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To: NormsRevenge

Bring back Brulte.


6 posted on 02/16/2007 9:27:43 PM PST by Mike Darancette (Democrat Happens!)
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To: All
"Perata appears unfazed by FBI's investigation," By Steven Harmon. Feb. 05, 2007

"SACRAMENTO - Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata has spent nearly $1 million defending himself against a federal probe into whether he illegally funneled money to family and close associates. . . ."

Aug., 2006. Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland called residents of southern California who are opposing a bill to provide drivers licenses to illegal immigrants "crackers" and said they "do not have the best interest of this democracy at heart".

"You’ve got all these crackers down in southern California. . . ."

"If you start getting engaged with these people, you end up getting tar all over yourself," said Perata.

An "apology" followed: I want to clarify something I said earlier today. While I am concerned about the coarse and divisive tone used by a small minority in the driver's license debate, I believe that the vast majority on both sides are people of good will.

Not all people are crackers -- crackers are people who make their opinions known -- Hey! I represent that, Senator!

Pistol packin' Perata can but you can't (even have a gun). He's a gun grabber.

He's had a permit to carry a concealed firearm for long time. Why? Because he's Don Perata and you're not.

7 posted on 02/16/2007 11:40:21 PM PST by WilliamofCarmichael (If modern America's Man on Horseback is out there, Get on the damn horse already!)
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To: Ca.Native.Southern.Soul
It shoulld be named the Don Perata and Fabian Nunez Re-election Act. Its so self-serving that there's not even the phony excuse they need more time to get the job done. Perata will have served 10 years! If that's not enough, he's the poster child for keeping term limits as they are.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

8 posted on 02/17/2007 12:00:38 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop
It shoulld be named the Don Perata and Fabian Nunez Re-election Act

More accurately the Nunez, Perata and Schwarzenegger Re-election Act.

Without the Austrian, the former are just members of the political class. With the latter, they are a liberal junta that will have complete control of California.

This proposed legislation is a recipe for 21st century oligarchy.

9 posted on 02/17/2007 7:50:23 AM PST by Amerigomag
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To: NormsRevenge

I'm guessing that if a redistricting initiative is put on the ballot, it'll a) be combined with the revision to term limits, b) made conditional on term limit revision passing, or c) be crafted such that there are escape clauses or ways around it. There's no way these bandits are going to take a chance that the voters will pass redistricting reform and not pass term limit revision.


10 posted on 02/17/2007 10:49:26 AM PST by John Jorsett (scam never sleeps)
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