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        2008


Prop. 11 Will Take Politics Out Of Redistricting
Marin Independent Journal
August 17, 2008

Reforming Redistricting: Let Independent Citizens Draw The Lines
Capitol Weekly
August 14, 2008

Democrats Need Not Fear Prop. 11 On Redistricting
California Progress Report.com
August 14, 2008
Democrats Break Ranks On Prop. 11
San Francisco Chronicle
August 13, 2008

Proposition 11: Fake Redistricting Reform
California Progress Report.com
August 12, 2008

Dan Walters: California's House Delegation Could Shrink
Sacramento Bee
August 11, 2008 
Proposition 11 Has 2 Giant Loop-Holes In It---And More!
Fox & Hounds Daily.com
August 11th, 2008
Opinion: Would Prop. 11 help minorities?
Los Angeles Times
July 27, 2008
Editorial: Redistricting Threatens Incumbents
North County Times, Escondido
July 24, 2008
Cavala: California Voters’ Initial ‘Take’ On Redistricting Scheme Presages Its Defeat
CaliforniaProgressReport.com
July 22, 2008
Pelosi Reveals Herself And Makes Case For Redistricting, Unintentionally
NewAmerica.net
July 18, 2008 
Opinion: Proposition 11 Levels The Redistricting Playing Field
San Jose Mercury
July 16, 2008
House Dems Oppose Calif. Redistricting Measure
San Francisco Chronicle
July 16, 2008
Cavala: Could Redistricting ‘Reform’ Make California Competitive For John McCain? (No)
CaliforniaProgressReport.com
July 16, 2008
SEIU May Come Out In Favor of Voters’ First
RoseReport.org
July 11, 2008
Nunez Gets $600,000 From Dems’ Redistricting Fund
CapitolWeekly.net
July 10, 2008
Big Money Needed To Redraw Districts
The Sun, San Bernadino and the Inland Empire
July 9, 2008
Commentary: The Initiative Road To Terminal Government Gridlock
Sacramento Bee
July 8, 2008
Remap Proposal Worries Civil Rights Groups
Contra Costa Times, Sacramento Bureau
July 8, 2008
Our View: Perata Won't Fool Us Again
Merced Sun-Star
July 7, 2008
Daniel Weintraub: Voters Beware - Politicians Will Lie To Kill Proposition 11
Sacramento Bee
July 2, 2008
Gerrymandering The Vote: How A “Dirty Dozen” States Suppress As Many As 9 Million Voters
Democratic Leadership Council
June 2008
Editorial: Perata's Power Play
San Francisco Chronicle
June 30, 2008
Democrats Fear Redistricting Measure Would Curb Their Power In State
San Francisco Chronicle
June 27, 2008
Election-Map Initiative Helps Voters, State Progress
Sacramento Bee
June 27, 2008
Politics And California Redistricting
CaliforniaProgressReport.com
June 27, 2008
Millions On Line In Ballot Drives
Sacramento Bee
June 24, 2008
Democratic Leaders Accused Of Pressuring Supporters Of Redistricting Measure
Contra Costa Times Sacramento Bureau
June 21, 2008
California Is Branded Among A 'Dirty Dozen' On Gerrymandering
Los Angeles Times
June 19, 2008
Redistricting In California: Control or Democracy?
CaliorniaProgressReport.com
June 19, 2008
Changing Method Of Redistricting Makes Ballot
San Francisco Chronicle
June 18, 2008
Government Reformer Down On Redistricting Initiative
PolitickerCA.com
June 18, 2008
 
Redistricting Initiative Makes California Ballot
San Jose Mercury News
June 17, 2008
Democratic Party Takes Stands On Ballot Measures
CaliforninaMajorityReport.com
June 17, 2008
Cavala: Republicans Kill Reform Bill That Hurts GOP Chances While Democrats Support 'Reform' That Hurts Their Chances
CaliforniaProgressReport.com
June 9, 2008
Speaking With The New Speaker
Los Angeles Times
June 2, 2008
Two Plans Created To Reform Districts
Modesto Bee
May 19, 2008
New Speaker Should Focus On Public Interest
Los Angeles Daily News
May 13, 2008
Why Schwarzenegger's Redistricting Plan Won't Work
California Majority Report.com
May 13, 2008
Tony Quinn: Redistricting Reform OK, But It's Only A Start
Sacramento Bee
May 11, 2008
Governor May Face Donor Fatigue
Contra Costa Times
May 11, 2008
California Redistricting Plan Faces Hurdles
Capitol Weekly
May 7, 2008
Dan Walters: Competing Proposals For Remap
Sacramento Bee
May 7, 2008
Initiative On Redistricting Closer To Ballot
San Francisco Chronicle
Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Nunez Pushes Ethics Plan As Rival Petitions Are Filed
Sacramento Bee
May 7, 2008
To Get Leadership Reform, We First Need Redistricting
Los Angeles Daily News
May 1, 2008

Good Intentions Could Harm Redistricting Ballot Measure
Los Angeles Times
April 28, 2008
Redistricting On Track To Qualify, Consultant Says
New America Foundation.com
April 23, 2008
Why Are GOP Contributors Putting Big Money Into Redistricting Reform?
California Progress Report.com
April 19, 2008
Gov's Giving To Remap Measure Tops $1 million
Sacramento Bee Capital Alert
April 21, 2008

‘Due Process’ Democrats Have Their Heads Buried in the California Sand
California Progress Report.com
April 20, 2008

Opinion: Seeing The Light 
Los Angeles Daily News
April 19, 2008
California Voters FIRST Presents A Balanced And Bipartisan Effort For Redistricting Reform
California Progress Report.com
April 17, 2008

Schwarzenegger's Redistricting Plan Comes Under Fire
Contra Costa Times
April 17, 2008

Group Says Plan Will Put A Stop To Gerrymandering

The Simi Valley Acron
April 4, 2008
The Need For Redistricting Reform From This California Democrat’s Perspective
California Progress Report.com
April 4, 2008
Labor Says No To Schwarzenegger/Republican/Common Cause Redistricting Measure 
The California Majority Report.com
April 02, 2008
Revenge In Attack On Legislative Redistricting?
California Progress Report.com
March 31, 2008
Weintraub: Governor Gets Another Shot At Redistricting Reform
Sacramento Bee
March 30, 2008
Editorial: Can't Legislature Do Better Than Bills On Dogs, Donkeys?
The Fresno Bee
March 30, 2008
Walters: Voters Irate At Budget Posturing
Sacramento Bee
March 28, 2008
New Foundation To Campaign For More Efficient California Government
Sacramento Bee
March 27, 2008
Editorial: California Voters Should Support Redistricting Ballot Measure
Fresno Bee
March 24, 2008
Editorial: Redraw the Map
Los Angeles Daily News
March 22, 2008
Walters: Court Ruling Offers Hope to Dysfunctional California Politics
Sacramento Bee
March 19, 2008

Supreme Court to Hear Major Redistricting Case
The Thicket at State Legislatures (ncsl.com)
March 18, 2008
Editorial: Let Citizens Redraw the Map
The Torrance Daily Breeze
March 17, 2008
Walters: Redistrict Reformers Miss Mark
Sacramento Bee
March 10, 2008
Let Citizens Redraw Map
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
March 9, 2008

Governor Proposes Redistricting Ballot Measure
North County Times
March 8, 2008
Redistricting Initiative Has Strong Republican Backing
San Jose Mercury News
March 6, 2008
Governor Gathers Signatures to Qualify Redistricting Measure
 
San Jose Mercury News
March 4, 2008
Manipulative Lawmakers Playing To The Crowd
Fresno Bee
February 14, 2008
State Voters Need To Do What Lawmakers Won't
Los Angeles Daily News
February 14, 2008
Editorial: What We Need In Sacramento, Redistricting, Not Retaliation
San Jose Mercury News
February 14, 2008
Redistricting Reform, Not Longer Terms, Is The Answer
California Republic.org
February 12, 2008
The Buzz: A Hardball Tactic Could Ricochet
Sacramento Bee
February 11, 2008
Wake Up, Sacramento Media! Wake Up! Wake Up! Wake Up!
San Diego Union Tribune
February 8, 2008
Editorial: Passive Aggressive Lawmakers Just Play to the Crowd
Fresno Bee
February 8, 2008
Nunez Takes Blame For Prop. 93 Loss
Los Angeles Daily News
February 7, 2008
Weingand: Voters Got A Whiff and Said 'No'
Sacramento Bee
February 7, 2008
Lawmakers Believe In Term Limits But Oppose The Measure

North County Times
February 4, 2008
Good For Us
Los Angeles Times
February 4, 2008
Commentary: A Conversation with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Sacramento Bee
January 20, 2008
Walters: Two Party Structure Under Fire
Sacramento Bee
January 18, 2008
Walters: Governor's Brownian Flip-Flops
Sacramento Bee
January 16, 2008
Editorial: Corruption of a Good Idea
San Francisco Chronicle
January 15, 2008
Governor Supports Term Limit Measure
Sacramento Bee
January 15, 2008
A Deceptive Prop. 93
San Francisco Chronicle
January 10, 2008
Use Prop. 93 To Say 'No"
dailybreeze.com
January 3, 2008

            

more

Governor's New Bid for Independent Panel on Redistricting

By Tom Chorneau, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau
San Francisco Chronicle
December 4, 2007

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday renewed his long-sought ambition to strip the Legislature's power to draw its own political districts, proposing a redistricting measure for the November ballot that is similar to one that voters rejected two years ago.

Schwarzenegger, whose Proposition 77 was soundly rejected by voters in the 2005 special election, is backing a proposal to give an independent citizens commission the power to draw legislative districts.

"The people of California are not served well by a system that is so gerrymandered that 99 percent of the incumbents are re-elected in districts that they themselves drew," the governor said at a news conference at the Capitol. "We need a system of truly competitive districts, so that when lawmakers go home they are held accountable."

The proposed measure also has the support of the League of California Women Voters, California Common Cause and the AARP - formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons - and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

The measure, which will probably require nearly 700,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot, would strip the Legislature's authority to draw political boundaries for the state Senate, Assembly and Board of Equalization offices.

Instead, a 14-member citizens commission would assume redistricting duties - a group that would have five Democrats, five Republicans and four independent voters selected by a review panel from the state auditor's office.

Although ballot measures that would take redistricting authority away from the Legislature have failed six times since 1982, supporters of Schwarzenegger's plan said the current system is a conflict of interest and needs to be changed.

Legislative leaders said Monday that they are not necessarily opposed to the idea of an independent commission drawing district lines - but that they would rather work out a compromise plan with the governor.

"There is no doubt that we need an independent commission to draw lines, which is why I have put forward two proposals to do that," Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles, said in a statement.

"The devil is always in the details, and we have some concerns about diversity and the splitting of communities in this initiative," he said. "I believe we need to continue to work to craft a bipartisan legislative solution, and if this initiative puts more pressure on us to do that, so much the better."

Schwarzenegger's announcement comes as talks have stalled in a special legislative session over health care reform and a proposed $9 billion water bond package.

While there's some speculation that the governor's redistricting proposal could be used to pressure the Legislature's Democratic majority to come to agreement on those issues, Schwarzenegger has said since jumping into the recall campaign in 2003 that the Legislature should not hold redistricting authority.

Prop 77, defeated by voters in 2005, would have taken the power to draw legislative and congressional districts away from state lawmakers and given it to a panel of retired judges. The measure was one of four initiatives that Schwarzenegger pushed in the 2005 special election - all of which failed at the polls.