Posted on 02/15/2007 9:31:58 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Two campaign consultants with close ties to the Legislature and governor proposed a ballot initiative Thursday that would modify California's term limits and give some current lawmakers a shot at an additional four to six years in office.
The measure, which supporters hope to put on the ballot in February, would let lawmakers serve up to 12 years, spending all their time in one house or splitting it between the two chambers.
State law now limits lawmakers to six years in the Assembly and eight in the Senate. They can serve a total of 14 years with stints in both houses.
The change would benefit both of the Legislature's top leaders, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland. They are scheduled to be termed out of their houses next year.
"This is the most straightforward and best way to do this - to provide more experience than now for legislators, but limit their terms," Gale Kaufman, a political consultant who has worked for Democratic lawmakers, said in a conference call with reporters.
Republican consultant Matthew Dowd also took part in the call and will work on the initiative campaign with Kaufman.
Lawmakers' current term limits were adopted by California voters in 1990. Critics say they have produced a Legislature filled with inexperienced lawmakers who often are forced from office before they develop expertise in issues facing the state.
Voters soundly rejected an attempt to extend term limits in 2002. That measure, Proposition 45, would have enabled lawmakers to run for an additional four years in office if their supporters collected a certain number of signatures.
But Kaufman and Dowd said polls showing improved public ratings for the governor and Legislature could increase the chances that the 12-year limit would pass.
"I think there is a window (of opportunity), largely driven by the perception of the Legislature and governor working together," Dowd said.
Kaufman said voters were more likely to approve an initiative than a measure put on the ballot by lawmakers.
"It makes it more passable, and that's the goal here," she said.
If approved by voters, the new term limits would be partially retroactive. Time already served by lawmakers in their current house would count against the 12-year limit but not time they may have served in the other house.
So a legislator who already had served six years in the Assembly and was closing in on eight years in the Senate could run for one more four-year Senate term. Similarly, a lawmaker who had served eight years in the Senate and was in a third term in the Assembly could get three more two-year terms in that house.
Paul Jacob, president of U.S. Term Limits, predicted California voters would reject the initiative. He said the proposal would "allow the reimposition of boss rule" by long-serving legislative leaders.
"People like term limits; politicians don't," he said. "This term limit clearly was put together by politicians and lobbyists. I think it's going to get smashed at the polls if they put it on the ballot."
Kaufman sidestepped a question about who asked her to become involved in the campaign, although she said Nunez had been involved in discussions about term limit modifications.
In an interview, Nunez said he supports the initiative and would help raise money for it.
"I think the voters are less comfortable with a term limit reform that comes from the Legislature than one they get to participate in from the get-go," he said.
Perata issued a statement indicating he supported a change in term limits but said lawmakers should seek additional reforms to make "government more open and accountable. It's not just about how long we serve, but how well we serve," he added without elaboration.
Dowd said he was asked by Kaufman to take part in the campaign, not by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger or members of his staff. Dowd was one of Schwarzenegger's chief advisers when he ran for re-election last year.
"I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do," he said.
Schwarzenegger's press secretary, Aaron McLear, said the governor wants lawmakers to approve a measure that would take the power to draw legislative and congressional districts away from the Legislature so the seats are more competitive.
"The governor would only support a change in term limits if that is tied to broader political reform, which includes redistricting," McLear said.
McLear said he didn't want to speculate about whether Schwarzenegger would oppose the term limits initiative if negotiations over redistricting failed.
The initiative, which was submitted to the attorney general's office Thursday for preparation of a title and summary, does not address term limits for statewide officeholders such as the governor or secretary of state. Those offices are limited to two, four-year terms.
Kaufman predicted it would take up to $2.5 million to collect the more than 1.1 million voter signatures needed to ensure that the initiative qualifies for the ballot. She said there were a "lot of organizations that say they support this concept," but no money has been raised so far.
Kaufman said signatures would have to be turned in by the end of July to make a Feb. 5 ballot. A bill moving swiftly through the Legislature would schedule the state's presidential primary on that day.
Approval of the initiative in February would allow lawmakers now scheduled to be termed out next year to run again in the June 2008 primary for state offices.
I don't see how this is supposed to be good for me.
The change would benefit both of the Legislature's top leaders, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland. They are scheduled to be termed out of their houses next year.
"This is the most straightforward and best way to do this - to provide more experience than now for legislators, but limit their terms," Gale Kaufman, a political consultant who has worked for Democratic lawmakers, said in a conference call with reporters.
Republican consultant Matthew Dowd also took part in the call and will work on the initiative campaign with Kaufman.
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This is likely to be hailed as Progress these days in the Post-Partisan Age.. wait and see.. and make note of who backs it.
Letting these two snakes plus quite a few others dip their snouts even deeper into the public feeding trough, for the sake of retaining "experience".. is quite the stretch, imo. all it does is give them more time to peddle influence and raid the state coffers and bond monies for their own ends.
fyi
There is more to come too, I'm sure, Stay tuned.
fyi
"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
They already have a shot at a longer term in office. It's called and election.
Kaufman and Dowd... harmonizing their efforts to achieve an exponentially bigger government ad infinitum. WASS!
Term limits have done nothing to improve the legislature in California. If anything, it has made things worse.
"The governor would only support a change in term limits if that is tied to broader political reform, which includes redistricting," McLear said.
I wonder what he has in mind.
I wonder what he has in mind.
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You're most welcome for the ping.
I have a feeling we will see soon enough re: "broader political reform". There have been proposals floated from both sides, I'm too pooped right now to dig the latest.
Keeping in mind how well reform has sold so well the last few years, I wouldn't be holding my breath. '*-)
"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
That is not what the VOTERS said...
I voted for term limits when I lived in California. Let them get real jobs. The less they do, the better.
Why not just eliminate voting and just let the politburo decide what is best?
Voters approved the 2/3 majority rule to pass local bond issues that raise taxes. Voters approved defining marriage as one man and one woman.
Voters approved all kinds of initiatives and the politburo is constantly seeking to thwart them. The same thing is happening here in Oregon...
Did a February Primary get put into law while I wasn't looking? Is that what this means? I'm cornfused!!!
I knew they were going to propose a February Primary like is discussed in my tagline... But didn't know it was actually put through already.
Does the author have a wife named Eatie Gormet???
On February 13, the California Senate passed SB 113 by 31-5. This bill moves the California presidential primary to February 5. Existing law has the California presidential primary in June. The bill would leave the primary for office other than president in June.
This bill has moved with amazing speed. It was introduced January 22. Normally bills cannot be heard in committee until they have been introduced 30 days, but the rules were waived for this bill.
AYES Ackerman Alquist Ashburn Battin Calderon Cedillo Corbett Correa Denham Ducheny Dutton Florez Kehoe Kuehl Lowenthal Machado Maldonado Migden Negrete McLeod Oropeza Padilla Perata Ridley-Thomas Romero Runner Scott Simitian Steinberg Wiggins Wyland Yee NOES Aanestad Cogdill Cox Hollingsworth McClintock ABSENT, ABSTAINING, OR NOT VOTING Harman Margett Torlakson Vincent
Is anything more dangerous to liberty and fiscal sanity than an experienced legislator? This is supposed to be a role one fills for two to four years as a public service, before returning to one's real work at one's real profession. ;)
Oh! So that means I have to re-write my tagline to be accurate!
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