The language of the argument in favor of Proposition 27 contained in California's "Official Voter Information Guide" was written by Daniel H. Lowenstein, acting in behalf of the California Congressional delegation.  It contains a number of distortions and outright falsehoods that need to be addressed.

Lowenstein claims that the Citizens Redistricting Commission will be free to draw electoral district boundaries that can create a district that "could have almost a million more people than another."

FACT: The Commission is directed to adhere to the federal voting rights act, which requires all districts to be essentially equal in population. This is the #1 criterion they are required to follow!

He describes the Commission as "a faceless group of amateurs."

FACT: The Commission members will probably all be better qualified than most of the incumbent politicians whose cozy careers are in danger! Anyone interested in seeing the qualifications of these people can go to www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov and see for themselves. The 60 finalists for the 14-person Commission are listed, and their qualifications can be reviewed by clicking on “Applicant Pool.”  (Over 4,000 people applied to be Commissioners.)

Lowenstein describes the Commission as “a bureaucracy with the power to decide who is to represent us.”  FACT: The non-partisan Commission will only draw the boundaries of the electoral districts in which candidates for state office will run.  The voters in those districts will decide who is to represent us!

He claims the Commission "can make up to $1 million dollars from California taxpayers in cumulative salary."

FACT: They would all have to work full time for a year to do this, whereas they will start their work in January 2011 and are required to complete it no later than September 15, 2011 – less than nine months.   And this is by no means a full-time job!  The actual salary costs of the Commission are likely to be more in the range of $250,000 -- lunch money for California politicians!

He says that under the existing law, passed by the voters in 2008, "voters can be denied the right to pass a referendum" against the electoral district maps developed by the Commission. 

FACT: The existing law, passed by the voters as Proposition 11 in 2008, specifically states that the Commission's maps "shall be subject to referendum," and that "if voters disapprove a certified map in referendum" then the State Supreme Court shall appoint special masters to resolve the situation. 

In short, Lowenstein's "Argument in Favor of Proposition 27" is a pack of deliberate lies!  WHO is supporting Lowenstein and his Proposition 27? THE INCUMBENT POLITICIANS OF COURSE!

Any other questions??? VOTE NO ON 27!!!

[NO] CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 27 (NOV, 2010) -- REDISTRICTING

I urge a NO vote on Proposition 27  because “we the people” are tired of being subject to the “special deals” made by state legislators to keep certain “pre-arranged” districts firmly within the party’s control. Thus our so-called legislators have been able to manipulate elections for years to insure long-term incumbencies which works against “we the people” and promotes a sense of entitlement – often combined with some degree of corruption.

We need to put the redistricting process back into the hands of the citizens of California.

I also urge a YES vote on Proposition 20 to stop corrupt and self-serving legislators from continuing their special deals and using redistricting for their own purposes.

-- steve

The official position …

Proposition 27 – Put on Ballot by Petition Signatures

ELIMINATES STATE COMMISSION ON  REDISTRICTING. CONSOLIDATES AUTHORITY FOR REDISTRICTING WITH ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND STATUTE.

Eliminates 14-member redistricting commission. Consolidates authority for establishing state Assembly, Senate, and Board of Equalization districts with elected representatives who draw congressional districts. Fiscal Impact: Possible reduction of state redistricting costs of around $1 million over the next year. Likely reduction of these costs of a few million dollars once every ten years beginning in 2020.

NO -- A NO vote on this measure means: The responsibility to determine the boundaries of Legislature and Board of Equalization districts would remain with the Citizens Redistricting Commission

YES --  A YES vote on this measure means: The responsibility to determine the boundaries of State Legislature and Board of Equalization districts would be returned to the Legislature. The Citizens Redistricting Commission, established by Proposition 11 in 2008 to perform this function, would be eliminated. (Proposition 20 on this ballot also concerns redistricting issues. If both Proposition 27 and Proposition 20 are approved by voters, the proposition receiving the greater number of "yes" votes would be the only one to go into effect.)