Mark Paul

New America senior scholar Mark Paul, writing at Calbuzz, makes a very strong case for making sure that Prop 13 is considered by a constitutional convention.

Given its centrality to governance in California, it's shocking that drafts of the initiative to call the convention specifically keep Prop 13 out of it. And pointless, too. Like putting together a meeting to discuss football but saying you won't mention the passing game.

Mark Paul, New America senior scholar, has studied the question of how the state might implement rules requiring initiatives that create new spending to include a source of revenues. (This is in reference to California legislation, SCA-14, prohibiting "something for nothing" initiatives that mandate spending without new revenues). Here is the relevant excerpt from a memo he prepared on the subject.

Those of you in the Bay Area may want to check out a lunchtime event this Thursday at the San Francisco State downtown campus. My New America colleague Mark Paul and Noel Perry, founder of Next 10, will offer a detailed budget briefing of the state's options. The event is free, but be sure to reserve a seat (and find out more details) here.

Please join us this Saturday morning, May 2, in San Diego for what should be a fascinating discussion about the ballot measures on the May 19 special election. The event runs from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the San Diego Hall of Champions. (Sports fans out there would be wise to make it a day of California governance and sports). The event is free, but be sure to reserve yourself a seat by signing up here or here. And you can consider this brunch if you like--there will be food.

The panel is headlined by former Congressman and former state finance director Tom Campbell, who has thought as deeply about the state budget as anyone alive. (He has an interesting discussion on tax reform currently running on his web site).  Also on the panel are Chris Reed of the San Diego Union-Tribune, writer of America's Finest Blog; New America senior scholar Mark Paul; and your blogger. The co-sponsors are New America, the Center for Policy Initiatives, and the City Club of San Diego.

New America senior scholar Mark Paul has a strong post on New America's political reform blog in which he rebuts claims that only the legislature can call a constitutional convention.

We're now in a panel discussion with the goo goos (Common Cause, Center for Governmental Studies, League of Women Voters). My New America colleague Mark Paul just had a good line that would be a good principle to guide a constitutional convention. "The Golden Rule of Representation," as Paul put it, is that we should "give unto others the representation you would have them give unto you."

He then launched into a call for proportional representation.

The consensus of the panel is that the legislature itself--and fixing how it works--is at the heart of the state's problems. There's been almost nothing about changing the executive and judicial branches.

Last night in LA, I moderated a panel with State Controller John Chiang, Barclays Capital managing director Peter J. Taylor (a public finance expert), and New America senior scholar Mark Paul on California's cash crunch. A report on what was said is here. One message: even if the tentative deal that legislators and the governor appear to have reached in the last 24 hours won't end the cash crunch. The state still has serious cash flow problems, said Chiang, comparing a state with a budget deal to an unemployed person who has suddenly found a job and income -- but still has to deal with the debts and bills he delayed paying while he was unemployed.

Over at the California Progress Report, my New America colleague Mark Paul explains why.

For all the complaints about California's initiative process, there have been few serious proposals for improving it. New America is hosting an event Tuesday (October 14) in Sacramento, Blockbuster Democracy (a familiar and catchy name, don't you think?), to give several folks -- your blogger among them -- a chance to offer possible solutions. Full details of the event are here. (That link also includes space to sign up to attend the event). u

The event kicks off at 9:30 a.m. at the California State Association of Counties conference center, 1020 11th Street, 2nd floor. I'll be speaking first, offering a detailed proposal I'm calling, "More Referenda, Fewer Initiatives." After that, you'll hear from Bob Stern of the Center for Governmental Studies, which earlier this year released an exhaustive study of direct democracy in California. Other panelists are Rick Jacobs of the Courage Campaign; Anthony Rubenstein, managing partner of SinoTransPacific Ventures and chairman of Californians for Clean Energy, sponsor of Proposition 87 in 2006; and my New America colleague Mark Paul, senior scholar, who will discuss the impact of initiatives on California's troubled finances. Lunch is provided, and there will be time during lunch for lots of questions from the audience. Hope you'll be able to join us. It should be worth your while.