September 06, 2006

"Bowen wants changes to initiative system

"State Sen. Debra Bowen, a candidate for secretary of state, is pushing efforts to reduce the advantage enjoyed by well-heeled special interests in qualifying ballot initiatives.

Bowen, a Marina del Rey Democrat who is running against Republican incumbent Bruce McPherson, outlined her concerns Wednesday in a breakfast meeting with The Bee's Capitol Bureau.

California's current process is a far cry from Hiram Johnson's vision when he created the initiative as a check on the power of railroads to control the Legislature, Bowen said.

"Certainly, he did not have in mind that anybody who had a million dollars could qualify just about anything they wanted," Bowen said.

"It's that migration of big money into the initiative process that has me most concerned."

Bowen crafted legislation this year, awaiting action by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, that would require recall and referendum petitons to state whether their circulators are paid.

"I think people will have a different reaction to whether they want to sign something if they know that the person who's carrying it is doing so because they're being paid, as opposed to they're there because they truly believe in whatever," Bowen said.

Bowen's bill, Senate Bill 1598, also would require that initiative, recall and referendum petitions disclose the names of their five largest contributors."

The article is here.

Posted by Randy Riddle at September 6, 2006 04:02 PM