California Issues - Legislative Redistricting

Independent Citizens Should Draw District Lines

   As the legislative calendar comes to an end we must not lose sight of the tremendous opportunity before us. It’s time for Republicans and Democrats to rise to the occasion and come together to craft bipartisan redistricting reforms to restore the voice of the people to their government.

   Remember the Saturday Night Live sketch, Coffee Talk, starring Mike Myers as Linda Richman? Every time Linda would get ‘verklempt’ she would tell the audience to talk amongst themselves and give them a topic like, “Rhode Island, it’s neither a road nor an island…discuss.”

   The same sentiment applies when talking about the independent redistricting reform proposal recently introduced by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. His plan is neither independent nor reform…discuss.

   His measure proposes to transfer redistricting powers not to an independent citizens’ commission, but rather to the Little Hoover Commission.

   While I give the Speaker credit for joining the dialogue on redistricting, the Little Hoover Commission cannot really be considered an independent body in any sense of the word. It is Sacramento politicians, including Speaker Núñez himself, who decide who gets to serve on the Commission. Right now, the Commission is comprised of thirteen members. Five members are appointed by the Governor, two are appointed by the Senate Rules Committee and Speaker Núñez makes two appointments. Additionally, two members from the Assembly and Senate are on the commission (though current lawmakers would be excluded from participating in the redistricting process under the Núñez plan.)

   Not surprisingly, the Little Hoover Commission is not filled with nonpartisan, good government advocates, but rather former lawmakers and political insiders. Who would be the “independent” decision makers drawing district lines under the Núñez plan? Among the current commissioners are a former member of the Assembly, two former gubernatorial cabinet secretaries, a one-time top staff member for Senate Democrats and a former aide to retired San Francisco Mayor and Assembly Speaker Willie Brown.

   The fact that the Little Hoover Commission is comprised of partisan political appointees should not inspire much confidence that this body can render an independent judgment when it comes time to draw district lines. Can the voters really trust political appointees to abandon their partisan loyalties and chart an independent course that may be contrary to the wishes of the very politicians who appointed them in the first place?

   It is clear that the Speaker’s plan to take redistricting powers away from one group of politicians and give them to another is nothing more than a sleight-of-hand trick to try to fool the voters into thinking that this is real reform.

   Make no mistake, allowing politicians to continue drawing district lines – whether they are current lawmakers or political appointees – is no improvement over the current system.

   Californians deserve better, and that’s why Assembly Republicans have made real redistricting reform one of our top priorities this legislative session. We need to give power back to the voters, allowing them to rightfully pick their representatives, rather than let politicians pick their voters.

   The very first piece of legislation I introduced this session, Assembly Constitutional Amendment 4, is the framework for what will hopefully become a common-sense redistricting reform measure. Republicans have been very clear where we stand on all aspects of redistricting reform. We have advocated for nesting, housing two Assembly districts in each Senate district, and keeping communities of interest together. Most importantly, we have been unequivocal in our demand to establish an independent citizens’ commission.

   Assembly Republicans don’t believe any plan that retains the connection to the politicians in Sacramento can truly be considered independent reform. We will continue to stand firm in demanding that lawmakers take action now to fix a broken system and restore a healthy democracy for Californians, by Californians.