Seen at the Capitol: People vs. Incumbents

Laura Sucheski: The sponsoring committee for Yes on Proposition 20 and No on Proposition 27 hosted a small press conference today on the West Steps of the Capitol to announce endorsements from key constituent groups including California AARP, the National Federation of Independent Businesses California, Common Cause, and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.

Charles T. Munger, Jr., the major donor to the campaign, was in attendance. Munger was also the top donor to the campaign for Proposition 11 which created the Citizen Redistricting Commission to independently draw statehouse districts. Munger doesn’t believe the proponents of Proposition 27, which would eliminate the newly-created Citizen Redistricting Commission, will succeed in confusing voters and expects them to vote “overwhelmingly” to protect the commission they created in 2008. He said there is no good argument against Proposition 20: “The commission is already here. Voters can add Congressional districts at no cost to the state.”

The movement to get rid of the commission has already received many donations from incumbent members of Congress, which you can read about here.

Former Superintendent of Public Instruction and Assemblywoman Delaine Eastin spoke in support of the measure.  She fondly remembered 1992, when courts instead of politicians drew the district lines, resulting  in “a much more competitive election.”

“This is too important for Californians to put it in the hands of self-serving people,” she said.  “We don’t let you set your own tax rates, and we shouldn’t let the legislature draw its own districts.”