This was just released to the public…
June 11, 2009
An Open Letter to Elected Officials:
We, the undersigned taxpayer advocates, have grave concerns about the current effort to amend the California Constitution in a manner which would allow a simultaneous or subsequent initiative calling for a Constitutional Convention. Rather than being a panacea for California’s woes, such an effort could very well result in the weakening or outright repeal of vital taxpayer protections such as Proposition 13 and Proposition 218, the Right to Vote on Taxes Act.
At the outset, we acknowledge the good intentions of many of the individuals and organizations who have previously supported the notion of a Constitutional Convention. Notwithstanding these good intentions, we have legitimate fears that the process can and will be hijacked by the very special interests who have created the dysfunctional environment in Sacramento.
More specifically, the process for the selection of delegates, the attempt to delineate the scope of revisions, and the process by which interest groups may influence and “educate” delegates are all fraught with opportunities for abuse. Indeed, some of those advocating for a Constitutional Convention include members of the spending lobby who are looking to eliminate the few remaining protections in the law for taxpayers and honest citizens.
We also have deep concerns about one of the stated objectives of the constitutional convention; an alteration of the current power of initiative and referendum. In our view, these reserved powers of the People are the last bastion of political power available to citizens in order to deal with an unresponsive Legislature.
Finally, we believe the better solution to address the dysfunctional political climate in California is to pursue needed reforms immediately and, to the extent that these reforms require voter approval, that they be presented to the People and judged on their individual merits. It bears noting that a Constitutional revision is the only legal way to engage in “logrolling” – wrapping several disparate proposals into one measure. We remain unconvinced that this is in the best interests of California and its citizens.
Signed by:
Jon Coupal, President
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Lew Uhler, Chairman
National Tax Limitation Committee
Mike Spence
California Taxpayer Protection Committee
Jon Fleischman, Publisher
FlashReport Website on California Politics
Ted Costa, President
The People’s Advocate
Bill Leonard, Member
Board of Equalization
Peter Foy, Statewide Chairman
Americans for Prosperity-California
Mark Meckler, National and State Director
Tea Party Patriots
June 11th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I just find it silly that consitutional amendments take 50%+1 while state budgets take a 2/3rds vote. Both are serious matters of government and maybe the collimation that wrote this letter should make their own call for a more objective reform of our state constitution instead.
If the Democratic Party can pass state budgets with 50%+1, they will wreck our state and would be proven that they are horrible on fiscal policy, that people might want to jump over to the Republican Party for some fiscal responsiblity.