In terms of length, only India and Alabama have longer constitutions than California. But length is not the only reason why the call for a constitutional convention is growing louder.

Led by groups such as the Bay Area Council and Common Cause, the hope of having a constitutional convention within the next two years is rapidly becoming a reality for those fed up with California’s infamous political dysfunction.

“California is model for the rest of the country on how government isn’t working,” said Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council at a constitutional convention forum held last week in Point Loma.

The Bay Area Council is a business advocacy group based out of San Francisco that is helping put together a campaign that would have voters decide whether to hold a constitutional convention in 2011.

Currently, two-thirds of legislators must agree to put language on next year’s ballot that would allow for a vote on a constitutional convention. However, no one is holding their breath for this to happen. Instead, the process is underway to place two initiatives on the 2010 ballot that would force a convention.

The first initiative would amend the current constitution to allow voters to decide whether to hold a convention; bypassing the legislature. The second initiative would ask voters to call a constitutional convention, which would be the first one in 130 years. If a majority of voters agree to hold a convention, it would take place no later than May 20, 2011. Voters would once again vote in Nov. 2012 to approve the delegate’s package of proposals.

On Oct. 28, Repair California sent the two initiatives to Attorney General Jerry Brown, who will give official titles and summaries to the initiatives. Once they gain approval from Brown, pro-convention groups will have 150 days to gather around 1.5 million signatures to place the measures on the ballot.

“California's state government is broken. This dysfunction has left our state unable to deal with the serious issues of our time in a good economy or bad - whether it's the K-12 education system, broken budgeting, our rapidly disintegrating public higher-education system, overflowing prisons, traffic-choked regions, local governments hobbled by unfunded state mandates, or a host of other problems,” said Wunderman in a San Francisco Chronicle op-ed.

The convention delegation would be made up of around 464 people. Three representatives from each Assembly District will be chosen from a pool of 400 randomly drawn residents. Each county will also get one representative for every 175,000 residents in that county. A committee made up of local politicians and city leaders will decide the representatives from each individual county. Additionally, four Indian Tribe delegates, representing the federally recognized Indian Tribes on the state, will attend.

People opposed to the convention have argued that it could lead to a runaway convention, meaning any law or topic could be discussed. But California Forward has clearly stated that the convention would be limited to four areas: elections and the initiative process, the budget process, the balance of power between state and local governments and government effectiveness. Delegates would be banned from proposing any tax increases.

State constitutions have been successfully called more than 230 times in the entire U.S. California has only held two, the last one in 1879.

Bob Edgar, CEO of the citizen advocacy group Common Cause, asked this question at the Point Loma forum: “Does California have what it needs for the next 100 years? Or are we strapped with a government that hasn’t evolved over the last 100 years?”

                                        

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Comments (2)

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Judge: reread the piece (though I agree it is slightly confusing). Less than half the delegates would be chosen by "local" leaders. More than half would come from pools of randomly chosen people; these people would elect, by and from themselves, 3 people per Assembly District. So there is a mix of random people who signal their willingness to serve--and yes, they would get paid for it. Beyond your cynicism, give the idea some real consideration. Do you have a better idea how to change the status quo--which everyone admits is lousy?

lincoln , November 18, 2009

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The 464 "randomly drawn" representatives, will be selected by "local politicians and city leaders[.]" First, that hardly sounds "random." Second, haven't our local politicians and business leaders done enough for us already? No matter, should I become interested in getting "picked" for service, maybe I'll give old Judy Italiano a phone call to see if she, between donuts gulps, can give me some pointers. Indeed, I wonder if these "representative" positions are paid? Is there a per-diem? Maybe I'll get invited to party with Spanos, Manchester and some really hot hookers? I do like hookers. That would be really cool.

Judge Smails , November 17, 2009

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