Time To Repeal The "Tyranny Of The Minority"

Just in time for the new craptacular California budget, Secretary Of State Deborah Bowen issues this press release:

SACRAMENTO – Secretary of State Debra Bowen today announced that the proponent of two new initiatives may begin collecting petition signatures for his measures. 

The Attorney General prepares the legal title and summary that is required to appear on initiative petitions. When the official language is complete, the Attorney General forwards it to the proponent and to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State then provides calendar deadlines to the proponent and to county elections officials, and the initiative may be circulated for signatures. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the first measure is as follows:

STATE BUDGET. REPEAL OF TWO-THIRDS LEGISLATIVE VOTE  REQUIREMENT. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.  

Lowers the legislative vote requirement necessary to pass the state budget, and spending bills related to the budget, from sixty-seven percent (two-thirds) to fifty- five percent. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Unknown changes in the content of the annual state budget. Fiscal impact would depend on the composition and actions of future Legislatures. (08-0022.) 

The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1352 and the Attorney General’s tracking number is 08-0022.

The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the second measure is as follows:

STATE BUDGET. TAXES. REPEAL OF TWO-THIRDS LEGISLATIVE VOTE REQUIREMENT. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. 

Lowers the legislative vote requirement necessary to pass the state budget, spending bills related to the budget, and budget-related tax increases, from sixty-seven percent (two-thirds) to fifty-five percent. Retains sixty-seven percent (two-thirds) vote requirement for property tax increases. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Unknown state fiscal impacts from lowering the legislative vote requirement for spending and tax increases related to the budget.  In some cases, the content of the annual state budget could change and/or state tax revenues could increase. Fiscal impact would depend on the composition and actions of future Legislatures. (08-0023.)  

The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1353 and the Attorney General’s tracking number is 08-0023. 

The proponent for these measures, Maurice Read, must collect signatures of 694,354 registered voters – the number equal to 8% of the total votes cast for governor in the 2006 gubernatorial election – for each measure in order to qualify it for the ballot. The proponent has 150 days to circulate petitions for each of these measures, meaning the signatures must be collected by July 20, 2009. 

The initiative proponent can be reached at (510) 346-6200. 

Time to get busy.