Group suspends push for Calif. constitution reform

By SUDHIN THANAWALA, Associated Press Writer
Friday, February 12, 2010 at 12:42 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO — A group pushing for a constitutional convention to reform California's government said Friday it was suspending the campaign due to a lack of funding.

Repair California said it would restart the effort if it raised more than $3 million by March 1 - an amount acknowledged as a long shot by Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, a regional business group that started Repair California.

"You don't get to put an initiative on the ballot in California without real money," Wunderman said. "The money really never showed up ... We're going out of business."

Critics said the proposal could open the constitution to a wide array of changes that have nothing to do with governance issues.

Repair California officials countered that the convention would be limited to government reform.

Wunderman said voters supported a constitutional convention but were reluctant to donate in the weak economy.

He said the group had spent about $1 million and was on track to gather the signatures needed to get its two initiatives on the November ballot.

One proposed measure would allow citizens to call for a constitutional convention. The legislature currently holds that authority. The other sought to stage a convention on budget reform and other matters such as the balance of power between state and local governments.

Repair California said state government had become dysfunctional, and the convention was needed to reduce the influence of special interest groups and end gridlock in Sacramento.

"We're taking one step back today," said Lenny Mendonca, chairman of Repair California. "But the movement is not going to die. The need for repair in California is too important."

Democratic Assemblyman Hector De La Torre agreed that California needs to address how it handles budgets and ballot measures. But the best route to reform is through the Legislature, he said.

"The schizophrenia that we have in the Legislature is reflective of the population at large," said De La Torre, who represents southeastern Los Angeles County. "If that's happening out there, we're going to reflect it in here. I think a constitutional convention would do exactly the same."

De La Torre said a bipartisan committee that met recently to identify possible avenues to reform was the right first step toward making changes.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010 ... on-reform/