ONLY $45 MILLION AND NO PAYMENTS UNTIL 2006!

What had been threatened is now official.  We're having a special election.  The Governator says that the state of California just can't wait an entire year to enact the following:

In November, voters will face three Schwarzenegger-sponsored initiatives. One would limit what the state can spend and give the governor sweeping new budgetary powers. Another would strip from legislators the power to draw their own districts and give it to a panel of retired judges. The third would lengthen the time it takes teachers to achieve tenure from two to five years.

Original estimates of the special election's costs were $80 million. Last week, the Republican secretary of state said the new costs to cities and counties would be only about $45 million, because many of them were already holding local elections . . . Schwarzenegger's proclamation calling the special election says local officials will be reimbursed for additional costs either from the 2006-07 budget or through a separate bill next year.

Along with Arnold's proposals, other people are putting their own initiatives on the ballot:

Also certain to appear on the ballot are a proposition that would require public-employee unions to get written permission from members each year to use a portion of dues for political purposes and another that would require parents to be notified before minors obtain abortions.

That parental notification bit has got to be an uncomfortable issue for the governor, who is a pro-choice Republican.  So I'll have the opportunity to ruin his day twice, once by voting against every initiative that he proposed, and again by voting in favor of parental notification.

Comments

[Chip]

Why will you oppose the initiative regarding redistricting? I don't know anything about the specifics of this initiative, but in general I think making redistricting less political is a good thing. I suppose the manner in which the retired judges are selected, the integrity of those judges, and their criteria for drawing disctrict lines would all go a long way to determining how de-politicized this new plan would be.

[LAmom]

Why will you oppose the initiative regarding redistricting?

Just on the principle that this is not the way we should be conducting business. I think it's so hugely irresponsible for the governor to be calling for a special election that unless he were proposing something that really can't wait a year, I'm going to reject it and make him bring it again during the normal election cycle.

Similarly, I voted against the recall of Gray Davis not because I was particularly a fan of his, but because I don't believe that elected officials should be recalled on a whim. Recalls should be saved for people who commit high crimes or abandon their job or something.

Thinking about it though, there are probably some issues that would be so desirable that I wouldn't be able to resist voting for them. I mean, if he were proposing universal health care or something, my principles about the correct way to legislate would go right out the window.

[Michael B]

You know, I've kind of been wondering how long it would take Californians to wake up and realize exactly who they've elected for governor. Looks like this is starting to happen.

Of course come 2006 I may have no room to talk. If he runs then Roy Moore could well be the next governor of Alabama. Not a very pleasant thought there...