Political Reform: Media Appearances and Press Releases

California's Revolutionaries | Le Monde

Erin Drankoski — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:05:00 -0500

On the docket: "Proposition 13," the referendum by which the people of California, in 1978, voted to amend the constitution of the state to limit taxes. The text of the referendum caps the property tax to 1% of property value. To raise taxes, there needs to be a super-majority vote of two thirds in the legislature. "California is the only state where it takes a two-thirds majority vote to pass a budget and raise taxes, comments Steven Hill

'Change Has Come' ... or Has It?

Erin Drankoski — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:07:00 -0500

"We thought we were getting a man of action. Instead, we got someone who'll spend six hours chasing a white ball around a park," Joe Mathews, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, said, with tongue planted only partly in cheek. "If voters had known about the golf, they would have been less surprised by his lack of urgency on many issues." ... Original Article

Newsom's Departure Is All About Brown | San Francisco Business Times

Erin Drankoski — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:55:00 -0500

Forget the issues with cash and the polls, says New America Foundation senior fellow Joe Mathews, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s decision to leave the Democratic race for governor boils down to one thing. ... Original Article

Election Week | New York Times

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:22:00 -0500

“This fact should have been disclosed during the campaign,” wrote Joe Mathews, a senior fellow at the New American Foundation. “We thought we were getting a ...

CA's System of Initiative and Referendum | KOGO

Erin Drankoski — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:01:00 -0400

Direct Democracy | The Oregonian

Erin Drankoski — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:04:00 -0400

Yet there are some interesting reform ideas now floating around California. In an oped in Monday's Los Angeles Times, Joe Mathews, a senior fellow at the New American Foundation, offers several possible changes in California's system. Here are three of Mathews' proposal. ... Original Article

New America Foundation Commends Governor Schwarzenegger for Signing AB 30, Allowing 17 Year Olds to Preregister to Vote

Elizabeth Wu — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:28:00 -0400

For Immediate Release

Steven Hill on the Economic Breakdown in California | Austrian Broadcasting Company

Erin Drankoski — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:04:00 -0400

Change We Can't Believe In | New Statesman

Cecille Isidro — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:49:00 -0400

... but this will only, in the words of Steven Hill of the New America Foundation, "push fuel efficiency by 2020 to a level that European and Japanese cars ...

Choosing Our New 'Founders' | North County Times (CA)

Erin Drankoski — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:02:00 -0400

Of the suggestions thus far, one made by Steven Hill of the New America Foundation at a Constitutional Convention Town Hall held in July in Santa Monica seems to make the most sense. ... Original Article

Instant Runoff: The Vote Of The Future? | Long Beach Press-Telegram

Erin Drankoski — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:59:00 -0400

A nonprofit public policy think tank that is advocating the idea -- the Washington, D.C.-based New America Foundation -- said that instant runoff voting changes the nature of political campaigns. ... Original Article

A Constitutional Approach to Fixing California | New America Media

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:07:00 -0400

... affect public policy for the whole state and how it is governed,” said Gautam Dutta, deputy director for political reform at the New America Foundation. ...

Instant Runoff Voting Could Streamline the Long Beach Balloting Process | Long Beach Press-Telegram

Cecille Isidro — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:56:00 -0400

Gautam Dutta of the New America Foundation, an election reform group that has been pushing for the council to consider IRV, refutes these criticisms. ...

Student Leaders Seek Governor's Signature on AB 30 (preregistration of 17 year olds to vote)

Elizabeth Wu — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:32:00 -0400

Sacramento, CA -- Diana Li, President of the California Association of Student Councils, along with student leaders from around the state, asked that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sign Assembly Bill 30, a bill to lower the voter registration age to 17, at a Capitol press conference yesterday. Following the press conference, Li and her fellow student leaders met with a legislative deputy to the Governor and presented a petition signed by students seeking support for the legislation. The Governor has until October 11 to either sign or veto the legislation.

Can a 17-year-old Register to Vote? It Depends | Ventura County Star

Cecille Isidro — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:06:00 -0400

“As you look at other states, this has been a thoroughly nonpartisan or bipartisan issue,” said Blair Bobier, deputy director of the New America Foundation ...

Instant Runoff Voting | Press-Telegram (California)

Erin Drankoski — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:12:00 -0400

Gautam Dutta's comments on IRV in Long Beach have been published The Press-Telegram. ... Original Article

Bill to Lower Voter Registration Age Heads to Governor | Noozhawk

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:54:00 -0400

AB 30 is based on a signature idea from the New America Foundation's Political Reform Program. AB 30 would create an option for young people who are 17 ...

AB 30 (Youth Voter Registration) Heads to Governor's Desk

Elizabeth Wu — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:53:00 -0400

Media Contact
Liz Wu
(510) 295-9859
wu@newamerica.net

Sacramento, CA - The California legislature approved AB 30 (Price & Swanson), a bill lowering the voter registration age to 17. If signed by the Governor, this legislation could dramatically improve California's alarmingly low voter participation rate for young voters. Almost half of the eligible voters between 18 and 24 years of age were not registered to vote in 2004 (the most recent year for which data is available).

Betting On A Constitutional Convention | California Progress Report

Cecille Isidro — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 07:11:00 -0400

California, said Steven Hill of the New America Foundation, used to be known as a place of innovation; it was time get back to an innovative California. ...

Taming the Wild California | Ventura County Star

Cecille Isidro — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:25:00 -0400

... groups like Common Cause, The New America Foundation, The Courage Campaign, Orange County Lincoln Club and Joint Venture - Silicon Valley Networks. ...