CA: Schwarzenegger writes $1.25 million check to redistricting campaign (Prop 77)

ap on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 9/27/05 | ap - Sacramento

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO (AP) - In an effort to jump start his campaign to change how legislative and congressional districts are drawn, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has contributed $1.25 million of his own money to the Yes on Proposition 77 committee.

The committee also received another $1.25 million from Steve Poizner, a Silicon Valley billionaire who is heading up the drive to pass the redistricting measure. Both donations were reported to the secretary of state Friday.

Poizner said Tuesday that he and Schwarzenegger agreed to make the contributions at a meeting earlier this month in which the governor also asked Poizner to serve as chairman of the Yes on 77 committee.

The measure, which Schwarzenegger helped qualify for the ballot, would strip authority for drawing districts from the Legislature and turn it over to a panel of retired judges.

Poizner, who is also running for the Republican nomination next year for insurance commissioner, said he believes lawmakers have too much of a vested interest to be allowed to continue to drawing the boundaries of their own districts.

Opponents charge that the measure is an effort by Republicans to simply pick up more seats.

"The huge dollar amounts being put in by both the governor and Poizner demonstrate what we've been saying all along," said Paul Hefner, spokesman for the No on 77 committee. "This is a political power grab by one set of politicians wanting to rewrite the constitution to get an advantage over another."

Schwarzenegger political aides have said that he intends to donate as much as $4.5 million from personal funds to support his ballot measures in the Nov. 8 special election.

In addition to Proposition 77, Schwarzenegger's primary measures are: Proposition 74, which would lengthen the probationary period of public school teachers; Proposition 75, which would require public employee unions to get annual written permission from their members before their dues could be used for political purposes; and Position 76, which would impose new spending limits on the state.

[NormsRevenge]

"The huge dollar amounts being put in by both the governor and Poizner demonstrate what we've been saying all along," said Paul Hefner, spokesman for the No on 77 committee. "This is a political power grab by one set of politicians wanting to rewrite the constitution to get an advantage over another."

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But it's OK for the unions to spend hundreds of millions to do the same?

DemocRat logic, ya gotta love it. ;-)

[Mount Athos]

You have to admit, that's putting your money where your mouth is.

[Moral Hazard]

"But it's OK for the unions to spend hundreds of millions to do the same?"

Yes, but according to the guy from the LA Police Protective League that I heard in a radio commercial the other day Prop 75 supports dictatorship. Obviously the Unions need to spend money to defeat dictatorship!

[CounterCounterCulture]

Excellent.

Remember, vote YES on Prop 77 in 2005
Then vote for Dr. Phil Kurzner for Insurance Commissioner in 2006. :-)

[NormsRevenge]

Dr. Phil Goes to Sacramento..

Does Oprah know about this.. I thought he just signed a new deal.

;-)

Oops, Sorry, Thanks for the heads-up.

[FOG724]

Opponents charge that the measure is an effort by Republicans to simply pick up more seats.

Well duh!

[newzjunkey]

Give 'em hell, Arnold!

[A CA Guy]

Well, he sure is putting his money where his mouth is.

These are nonrefundable donations or loans to the campaign.
If these are loans, I'm not that impressed.

If these are donations, that is leading by example and one hell of a statement by a governor as to where his heart is regarding this state.

[tubebender]

Opponents charge that the measure is an effort by Republicans to simply pick up more seats.

DOH!!! Why didn't I think of that?