County officials endorse talks on Calif split

Jul 12, 2011 12:27 AM PDT Updated: Jul 12, 2011 5:20 PM PDT

By JACOB ADELMAN
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Elected officials in Riverside County have endorsed a proposal to discuss cleaving California in two, but with a catch: No public funds can be spent on the budding secessionist movement.

Staffers for a Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone, who dreamed up the idea for the new state, said after Tuesday's vote by the Board of Supervisors that proponents will turn to private donors for funds to pursue the idea.

The motion by Stone, a Republican, calls for officials from 13 counties to come together to discuss the idea.

Even if leaders got serious about secession, the U.S. Constitution says no new state can be formed without the consent of Congress and the state Legislature.

Stone says California is too big to govern.

The proposed new state would encompass coastal Orange and San Diego counties, and inland Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Riverside, San Bernardino and Tulare counties.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/15063935/coun ... o-2-states