Sacramento, CA - In a week that saw Governor-Elect Jerry Brown and legislative leaders detail just how dire California's budget problems are, Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D - Los Angeles) introduced a package of five proposed constitutional amendments to address what those same leaders and most government watchers identify to be the root cause of many of California's fiscal problems: ballot-box governance.
“I pored through the proposals of think tanks, reformers, and good-government advocates from around the country, and came up with these five reforms to fix the ballot-initiative process, which has been terribly abused by special interests in recent years. These are just the beginning of my efforts to reform California government” said Gatto.
Briefly, the measures are:
ACA 6 (“Pay as you go” reform). Will require initiatives that spend money or create a new program or mandate to identify and specify the funding to pay for it. “We cannot continue to authorize spending money that we do not have,” said Gatto. “Too often, voters are snowed by slick campaign commercials into authorizing unfunded mandates that end up costing the state billions of dollars, in perpetuity.”
ACA 9 (Supermajority Parity). Will require initiatives implementing supermajority requirements to pass by the same supermajority. “It is unfair to tie the hands of future Californians with supermajority strictures unless the same supermajority of voters approves of the stricture.”
ACA 10 (Law Revision and Modernization Act). Will allow the Legislature to amend most laws implemented by initiative after the initiative has been in effect for four years (carves out from legislative modification sections of the Constitution, like Proposition 13). “Imagine a ballot initiative in 1910 put aside tax dollars to stimulate the buggy-whip industry,” said Gatto. “Chances are that law is still on the books.”
ACA 11 (Restoration of Original Signature Threshold for Initiatives). Would return the signature threshold for qualification of initiatives to the level it was from the early 1900s through the late 1960’s. “Voters constantly complain to me about the proliferation of initiatives in the last several decades ” said Gatto. “This legislation would return the threshold for qualifying an initiative to what it was originally intended to be.”
ACA 12 (Open Hearing and Amendment Requirement). Will require the Legislature to hold hearings on an approved ballot initiative before it is finally printed on the ballot, and will allow the Legislature to propose amendments to the sponsors of initiatives. Should proponents reject amendments, a description of the amendments and a note marking their rejection would be included in the voter guide. “It is my hope that the additional scrutiny afforded by more comprehensive hearings and proposed amendments will draw attention to the strengths and deficiencies of future ballot initiatives. The voters have a right to know whether proponents were willing to accept improvements approved and recommended by the people’s elected representatives in the Legislature,” said Gatto.
These reforms are part of an ongoing package of substantive changes to California governance put forth by Assemblyman Mike Gatto. In October 2010, his ACA 4 (Enhanced Rainy Day Fund) passed the Legislature, surprising many. Gatto plans on introducing additional ballot-initiative and good-government reforms as the 2011-2012 term continues.
Mike Gatto, 36, represents Glendale, Burbank, and the Los Angeles communities of Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Toluca Lake, and North Hollywood in the California State Assembly. He was elected by a Special Election in June 2010.
CONTACT: John Ferrera @ (916) 319-2043 or (916) 402-8900
