What will it take to get California’s government working effectively again? Proposals for a state constitutional convention died quickly earlier this year, but some other promising ideas are now struggling to gain traction instead.

Planning for the "Rebooting California" symposium (see the full schedule here)began last spring, when many political observers expected a measure calling for a California Constitutional Convention to be on the November ballot. Now that such a gathering appears unlikely in the foreseeable future, symnposium speaker suggested an alternative, reports KRCB-TV Senior Political Analyst Dick Spotswood. Cal State Fullerton professor Raphael Sonensheir, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Charter Reform Commision, put forward that body as a possible role model for the state.

There are several initiatives on the November 2nd ballot that address issues of governance, including two, Props 20 & 27, that focus on redistricting. Additionally Prop. 25 would lower the threshold for passing the state budget from two-thirds to 50%, while Prop 26 would extend the 2/rds requirment for approving new taxes to cover fees as well. When Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, expressed cautious support for the two ideas in tandem, Spotswood admits, it got him thinking.

Dick Spotswood blogs for the Marin Independent-Journal as The Militant Centrist.