In 1993, California’s Republican Governor Pete Wilson joined with the Democrat-controlled State Assembly and State Senate to form the California Constitution Revision Commission (CCRC). The stated goal was to modernize and improve our bulky California Constitution. The REAL goal (at least the PRIMARY goal) was to gut Prop 13, making it easier for our state and local governments to raise taxes.

Our centrist governor and the two state legislatures each picked 1/3 of the commission appointees. As a result, the initial commission was overwhelmingly Democrat, with a handful of mostly moderate Republicans included as window dressing. Uh oh.

Since 1970, Democrats have controlled both CA state legislatures. With one exception. In 1994 with the Republican Party’s push for theirContract with America, the State Assembly enjoyed a brief two-year GOP majority.

The new Republican Assembly Speaker Kurt Pringle — recognizing the “kangaroo court” nature of the Commission — decided to change the… Read More