California's initiative system: ... a process that needs fixing?

Los Angeles Times ^ | June 29, 2011 | LA Times Editorial

[fifedom]

(with) California’s rules, restrictions and fund commitments, there’s just not enough money for legislators to dole out where it’s needed. Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake) (has) six pieces of legislation he’s proposed to fix the process... Jon Coupal, of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn.,... stand AGAINST California initiative reform

[fifedom]

This so-called reform is meant to gut the initiative process, the only thing saving us from the union controlled Rats. The main group opposing this is the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Organization. They sue the state to enforce the initiatives. The unions collect over $1,000 per government employee to pay off politicians. We taxpayers have to step up and support the only effective opposition: HJTA.org

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. However, with the total control achieved by the leftist coalition now governing this State, it is only a matter of time until the initiative and recall provisions are repealed-along with Proposition 13.

[Publius6961]

That pretty much sums things up.
In addition to compromising the financial health of the states, the "initiative" process, often the result of a handful of individuals relying on the ignorance of the voters, commits future legislatures to continue funding absurd levels of expense for truly unnecessary and frivolous spending.

Perhaps a supermajority Constitutional state amendment, similar to that proposed at the federal level, is part of the answer. Also initiatives which "automatically" increase annual expenditures forever should be illegal. No state function is so important that it justifies bankrupting the state, or eliminating tha half-dozen or so legitimate expenses of State function. All major funding should have a built in maximum percentage of the total annual revenues above which it must never rise. That would include education and public employee salaries and benefits.

It is truly mind-boggling that the working taxpayer must treat the legislature as children, but experience has proven beyond any doubt that their fiscal and social IQ is truly at "child level." Time for the adult employers of this dysfunctional group to take back the reins of government.

[I am Richard Brandon]

"California's initiative system: ... a process that needs fixing?"

The California initiative system came into being, and is being used because the controlling politicians in Sacramento are both Stupid and Corrupt. Take an examplr - the famous and infamous Prop 13. The original intent was to 'starve the beast' by limiting State revenues. Yje Sacramento politicians, instead of heading the voters, kept on spending more and more without regard, thus creating in part, the current fiscal crisis.

If the politicians had listened to thr intent of the voters, instead of trying to ignore it, the Proposition concept would have been vindicated. Similarly, if the Proposition had been more tightly worded and more encompassing, it would have been vindicated.

Where propositions fall down is where they mandate a fixed % of income be spent on (say) education without redard for the ebb and flow of the economy..

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Stupid people elect stupid politicians.

Stupid people vote for stupid propositions.

Whether our budget is based on laws passed by the assembly and senate, or based on propositions voted in by the people, it will be a stupid budget.

Conservatives loved propositions when there was still a majority of Republicans statewide that were going under-represented due to gerrymandered districts.

That is no longer the case in California. A large majority of the population is now Democrat. Even Orange County, the former bastion of Republican supremacy, is now leaning Democrat.

It is time to toss the initiative process overboard and focus on keeping a fire going under our elected representatives to enact responsible budgets.