Breaking News: California Common Cause Endorses a “Yes” Vote on Prop 93—Term Limits Reform

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

The good government group California Common Cause has just issued a statement indicating they are urging a yes vote on Proposition 93 on that would reduce the amount of time legislators can serve from 14 years overall to 12 years in one house of the California State legislature with a transition period for current legislators.

This is what they had to say:

“California Common Cause today announced its endorsement of Proposition 93, a measure that will reform California’s term limits. “While we strongly condemn legislative leaders’ failure to adhere to their agreement to place a redistricting reform measure on the ballot along with the term limits proposition,” said California Common Cause Vice-Chair Roy Ulrich, “Common Cause has long believed that term limits arbitrarily limit the right of voters to elect their representatives from among the most qualified candidates while at the same time giving more power and influence to special interest lobbyists.”

“Proposition 93 will give voters the ability to decide whether to keep their assemblymember or senator in office for up to 12 years. Under existing law, assemblymembers are limited to three terms of two years, and senators are limited to two terms of four years, with the possibility that a person could serve a total of 14 years in the state legislature if elected to both houses. If passed, Proposition 93 would allow legislators to serve a total of twelve years in the Assembly, the Senate, or both.

“Although legislative leaders have failed to live up to their promise to place a redistricting reform measure on the ballot, California Common Cause has joined forces with the League of Women Voters, AARP, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, and other groups and individuals to obtain the signatures necessary to place the California Voters FIRST Act on the November 2008 ballot. Presently, California’s legislators draw their own districts behind closed doors, which creates a serious conflict between a legislator’s self-interest in drawing districts that ensure his or her safe reelection and the legislator’s responsibility to serve the interests of the communities he or she represents. If passed, the California Voters FIRST Act would create an open and transparent 14-person independent citizens commission to draw district boundaries.”

Common Cause is a national nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1970 by John Gardner as a vehicle for citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest. It is one of the nation's largest and most effective citizens' lobbying organizations.