FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 30, 2009
WCVI Supports Constitutional Convention Propositions
Limited Convention’s Reforms Will Enable State to Deliver Quality Education/Infrastructure and Environmental Protection
Contact:
Antonio Gonzalez or Steven Ochoa at 323-222-2217
Sacramento – Wednesday, the William C. Velasquez Institute (WCVI) joined the Bay Area Council and other members of the Repair California coalition as they submitted language for two ballot initiatives to allow California voters to call for a state Constitutional Convention.
“Our state system is broken, and if California is to right itself, it must be examined in a holistic, transparent manner by a group of representative and fair-minded Californians,” said WCVI President Antonio Gonzalez. “These Constitutional Convention propositions, if enacted, will provide a timely and historic opportunity to holistically review and repair our system of government so that it can deliver the promise of quality education, competent government, effective transportation, power, and water infrastructure, and environmental protection for today and the future. It will enable our state to offer opportunities to all as it once did in our golden past.”
The coalition submitted two propositions. If approved, the coalition’s goal is to complete petition signature gathering in time to place the measures on the November 2010 ballot. “Proposition 1” amends the current constitution to allow the voters to directly call for a Constitutional Convention; a privilege currently reserved for the State Legislature. “Proposition 2” calls for the Convention itself, with the following key features:
- A delegate body size of approximately 450 members, and requirements for the body representative of California’s diversity:
- First, 240 Delegates will be selected via Assembly District - 3 per District. The State Auditor would be required to randomly select 400 District residents, and after an opt-out period, select a representative group of 50 people per Assembly District. Those 50 people would then select 3 delegates amongst themselves to represent their AD.
- Second, a variable amount of delegates based on the population size of every county - approximately 223 members based on recent population estimates - would be appointed by local elected officials. Each County will receive one delegate for every 175,000 people, with all counties receiving at least one delegate. These representatives will be appointed by 5 member committee ideally consisting of 2 County Supervisors, 2 mayors of cities within the county, and 1 school district member. Further, Cities with over 1 million people - projected to be Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Jose - will directly select their County proportion share of delegates.
- Four appointed representatives from federally recognized Indian tribes
- A limitation on the convention’s ability to revise the constitution to issues of governance and fiscal rulemaking
- Full transparency requirements in the delegate selection process, convention deliberation, and a requirement that all revisions must be approved by the voters
- Calls for any revision to be in full compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act
WCVI Vice President Steven Ochoa, who represented WCVI at Wednesday’s press conference, said, “Ethnic and Racial Minorities - and the growing Latino population in particular - have a vested interest in making sure California returns to viability for today and tomorrow. These two Constitutional Convention propositions, while not perfect, are an incredible opportunity to holistically look at the entire system of government and reform it.”
Indeed, certain provisions of Proposition 2 will mean more vigilance is needed of groups such as WCVI to ensure fair representation at the proposed Convention. Many exclusionary clauses on who can serve as a delegate disproportionately affect minorities, such as not allowing legal residents, former felons, and civic-minded, unpaid appointed commissioners to serve as delegates. Further, based on its observation of the State Auditor’s implementation of Prop 11, WCVI would have preferred stronger mandates to make the State Auditor – the office tasked with conducting the randomized selection process - specifically outreach to disenfranchised minority communities to urge their participation in the delegate selection process.
But even given these concerns, Antonio Gonzalez added, “These measures establish a reasonable process where a mix of experts appointed by local elected leaders and average Californians who directly feel the results of the broken government can come together to discuss and address issues of fairness in representation, government efficiency, and fiscal relationships and rule making. We pledge to work to enact it and to join with all interested to properly and fairly implement it.”
For more information on the California Constitutional Convention, please visit www.refoundca.org and www.repaircalifornia.org
Read the Propositions for yourself by downloading the PDFs below
About WCVI
The William C. Velásquez Institute (WCVI) is a tax-exempt, non-profit, non-partisan public policy analysis organization chartered in 1985. The purpose of WCVI is to: conduct research aimed at improving the level of political and economic participation in Latino and other underrepresented communities; To provide information to Latino leaders relevant to the needs of their constituents; To inform the Latino leadership and public about the impact of public policies on Latinos; To inform the Latino leadership and public about political opinions and behavior of Latinos.
# # #
