The FlashReport gets a shout-out from the Wall Street Journal (sorry Spence, you got written out!):

Terms Unlimited?

Talk about election officials being hoisted by their own political petard.

Facing a forced career change next year under the state’s term-limits law, California Senate President Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez have fast-tracked a ballot initiative that would allow them to stay in office. While the measure would ostensibly toughen the term limits law, it would also create a special "transition period" that would let 80% of today’s sitting legislators delay their departure. "The practical effect of the measure would be to allow more lawmakers… to stay in office longer," concluded a San Francisco Chronicle analysis.

Armed with a highly favorable ballot summary crafted by… Read More

The timing of when the Perata-Nunez Career Politician Term Limits Weakining Initiative will appear on the ballot is now in question (it’s looking very likely like Nunez will fail to garner the necessary percentage of valid signatures in a random count, necessitating a manual count in the 58 counties which very well might not be complete before a late-September cut-off to qualify for the February ballot). This certainly becomes a very interesting development as discussions are underway in earnest to place a redistricting reform measure on the February ballot. The Governor, to his credit, has made this a top priority, witholding any potential support for a term-limits modification until this demand is met. Assembly Democrats have given lip-service about supporting redistricting reform, but have been slow to proffer any support for a plan that passes the smell-test for being meaningful reform. Let’s start with an important premise that is important to consider when looking at redistricting reform. A bad plan… Read More

A third update on the saga of the poor ol’ Term Limits Weakening Initiative… Looks like the odds are getting pretty long that a manual count can be avoided… ’tis such a shame… (not) Just in from CapWeekly’s Anthony York, update #3:

Another update from Anthony York at CapWeekly… Things aren’t looking good for those hoping to qualify the term limits end-run promptly…

According to the Secretary of state’s office, Sacramento and Kings have reported! In all, 50 counties have reported their random sample numbers for a total of 518,233. So again, if we add that number to the projected 166,320 from Los Angeles (assuming the 63 percent estimate given by Conny McCormack), that gives us 684,553, with eight counties remaining. The remaining counties have about 102,000 votes out standing, 83,000 of which are in San Bernardino County. Soto avoid the count, they need 79,443 –or 78 percent from the remaining eight counties.

It’s all about San Berdoo. If San Bernardino comes in at less than 78 percent, we could be looking at a full count…… Read More

This update just in from FR friend Anthony York over at Capitol Weekly on the challenges (first reported on this website) that the Nunez Career Politician Term Extension Act is having with qualifying for the February ballot…

Just got off the phone with Conny McCormack at the LA County elections office. Here’s the latest:

First, a quick reminder on the numbers.As I wrote in my earlier story, the proponents need 763,790 to avoid the full count. So far, from the counties that have reported, they have a projected 486,508 — a validity rate of about 71.5 percent.

LA has about 264,000 of the signatures. According to McCormack, they are close to completeing their sample count. In fact, they may be reporting to the SOS as early as tomorrow. Though they are not finished, she said signatures are coming back at about a 63 percent validity rate.

That would mean… Read More

On a party line vote, all 5 committee Republicans voting no. Amends to address protection of church property, amongst many other issues, falls far short for Rep support.… Read More

A "NO" VOTE IS CALLED FOR ON ACA 8 The League of Cities and the pro-eminent domain redevelopment industry have been lobbying very hard for the passage of Democrat Assemblyman Hector De LaTorre’s proposed constitutional amendment (ACA 8) that would put a faux (fake) eminent domain reform measure on the ballot. Their bill would NOT COME CLOSE to offering ALL private property owners the protections that they deserve against governments coming in and TAKING their property for economic gain (we’re not talking about a ‘taking’ to widen a highway, but the idea that some city planner sees a different use for the land with more economic benefit to the city, and just taking it…). ACA 8 will NEVER be amended to pass muster — because there are two diametrically opposed interests here. Property rights advocates want and demand legislation to END the proactive of governments being able to forcibly take someone’s private… Read More

A "NO" VOTE IS CALLED FOR ON ACA 8 The League of Cities and the pro-eminent domain redevelopment industry have been lobbying very hard for the passage of Democrat Assemblyman Hector De LaTorre’s proposed constitutional amendment (ACA 8) that would put a faux (fake) eminent domain reform measure on the ballot. Their bill would NOT COME CLOSE to offering ALL private property owners the protections that they deserve against governments coming in and TAKING their property for economic gain (we’re not talking about a ‘taking’ to widen a highway, but the idea that some city planner sees a different use for the land with more economic benefit to the city, and just taking it…). ACA 8 will NEVER be amended to pass muster — because there are two diametrically opposed interests here. Property rights advocates want and demand legislation to END the proactive of governments being able to forcibly take someone’s private… Read More