The journey that California began two years ago when voters approved creating an independent commission to draw political boundaries is in the final stretch. This week, eight of the 14 member of the panel will be selected in a special drawing. The Ventura County Star's Timm Herdt takes a look.
"On Thursday, eight of them — three Democrats, three Republicans and two from a pool that includes independents and members of minor parties — will become the initial members of the first Citizens Redistricting Commission. The panel’s job will be to draw new lines for legislative and congressional districts to reflect the population changes recorded in the 2010 census."
"Heretofore, the once-a-decade job has been in the hands of the Legislature and the governor. The process has historically been driven by such political considerations as maximizing the majority party’s clout, protecting incumbents of both parties and drawing tailor-made districts designed to benefit a specific politician."
The implications of Proposition 26, the sweeping, voter-approved ballot initiative that requires two-thirds votes for new fees, are starting to be understood in the state Capitol. And thus far, many people don't like what they see.
From Capitol Weekly's John Howard: "Proposition 26 has a retroactive provision that could block hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks approved earlier for new alternative energy plants in Southern California."
"It also could undo a budget trailer bill – approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor -- that levied fees on renewable energy plants to help defray some regulatory costs. It also applies retroactively to the last legislative session. Less than two weeks after voters approved it, the measure has generated uncertainty in the Capitol over what is covered by its provisions and what isn’t."
Indeed, the ripples of Proposition 26 are being felt far beyond the Capitol as lawyers, lobbyists, the public and activists ponder the sweeping initiative, reports Margot Roosevelt of the Los Angeles Times.
"It was the
"sleeper" ballot initiative of California's election
season: Few paid
heed to Proposition 26, besides
the oil, tobacco and alcohol companies that funneled
millions of dollars into
promoting it in the final weeks of the campaign."
"Now, from the Capitol in Sacramento to the
boardrooms of county supervisors and city councils,
lawmakers and lobbyists are
scrambling to assess the fiscal and political effects
of the measure, one of
the most sweeping ballot-box initiatives in decades. Proposition 26 reclassifies
most regulatory fees on industry as "taxes" requiring
a two-thirds
vote in government bodies or in public referendums,
rather than a simple
majority."
The University of California, once a meritocracy intended to provide a first-rate college education to California students, is making an aggressive effort to court out of state students. Why? Because they pay more.
From the LAT's Larry Gordon: "From Boston to China and across the Internet, University of California campuses this year are taking unprecedented and potentially controversial steps to recruit out-of-state and international students for the extra revenue and geographic diversity they bring to the cash-strapped system."
"Most of the nine UC campuses that enroll
undergraduates report sending admissions staffers more
often this year than in
previous years to visit high schools, college admissions
fairs and other events
outside the state. Some are taking these steps for
the first time, pushed by
the state's budget crisis and the chance to garner
the extra $23,000 in annual
tuition UC charges each non-resident student."
Meanwhile, the Assembly Republicans face the new legislative session with a new leader, Connie Conway, and a new approach, reports the Chron's Marisa Lagos.
"Conway,
who represents Tulare, is a former county supervisor
who is known around the
Capitol for her outgoing demeanor and fundraising prowess.
She, along with her
newly elected counterpart in the state Senate - Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga
(San Bernardino County) - will not only represent the GOP
within the Legislature, but also will be working to raise money,
find
viable candidates and promote the Republican Party
statewide. She will also
focus on keeping the minority party relevant: The passage of Prop. 25, which
allows the Legislature to pass a budget with a simple
majority, could make
Democrats less willing to work with Republicans.
"Conway is the first woman to lead the Assembly's Republican
caucus in nearly 30
years."
Heading to the Beltway for a minute, the Bee's Dan Walters notes that Darrell Issa is emerging as a powerful force in Congress with the GOP surge.
"In most cases, Republicans who lost committee chairmanships four years ago will reclaim them in January. But the big buzz in Washington political circles is about Darrell Issa, who represents portions of San Diego and Riverside counties and will chair the House Oversight Committee."
"How the ambitious, combative Issa performs over the next two years may well determine whether he emerges as a Republican star – and perhaps a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012 – or becomes a political asterisk. Issa overcame youthful brushes with the law and made a fortune in the car alarm business before segueing into politics, capturing his congressional seat in 2000 after failing to win the GOP nomination for the Senate in 1998."
And finally, we turn to our "Kids in the Clouds" file to learn that a serious move is afoot to ban children from air travel. So what's wrong with screaming, sticky, tantrum-driven youngsters at 35,000 feet?
"Now, travelers without children are doing some fussing of their own. Some are calling for airlines to implement child-free flights, or designate “family-only” sections on planes, in the wake of some high-profile tantrums."
"In July, Qantas settled a lawsuit from a woman who claimed that she suffered hearing loss after sitting next to a screaming 3-year-old boy on a 2009 flight from New York to Australia. (Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.) In January, AirTran removed an entire family from a flight before takeoff from Fort Myers, Fla., because their 3-year-old girl was hitting the parents, making noise and refusing to take her seat. And in March, a 42-year-old woman allegedly grabbed a boy (3 years old, again) for kicking her chair during a Southwest flight to Las Vegas."
"While few travelers would advocate outright assault, a survey of 2,000 travelers released by Skyscanner, a fare-comparison site, in August found that 59 percent of passengers support creating special sections on flights for families. Nearly 20 percent said they would like to see airlines offer child-free flights."
Put on the History Channel -- that'll quiet them down...