Californias? Initiative to break up state may be on November ballot
- by Jerome Frank
- in World News
- — Apr 14, 2018
"Partitioning California into three states would empower regional communities to make better, fairer and more sensible decisions for their citizens". The effort, branded as the "CAL 3" initiative, is driven by Tim Draper, a venture capitalist who previously wanted to split the state into six states, but failed to do so, obviously.
Draper lobbied unsuccessfully for similar ballot initiatives in 2014 and 2016, but this year he said he was able to amass approximately 600,000 signatures, well more than the 365,880 required.
CAL 3 is committed to solving California's most pressing issues, including the state's failing school systems that impact more than 6 million kids, highest-in-the-nation taxes, deteriorating infrastructure and strained government.
The CAL 3 campaign plans to deliver the 600,000-plus signatures, which Draper said represent all 58 counties, next week. To start, Draper needs a total of 366,000 for his initiative to be qualify to go on the ballot. Draper noted it is almost twice as much support as the 365,880 required by state law to get the initiative on the ballot.
CNN reached out to Secretary of State Alex Padilla, but he refused to comment until he receives the signatures.
Draper also suggests that California citizens would be better served by three smaller state governments while preserving the historic boundaries of the various counties, cities and towns.
Any thought to share on CAL 3?
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Even if the initiative makes the ballot and Californians vote to split the state, Congress would still need to vote on the change.
Splitting California into three states would require congressional approval.
California: This will be considered the new state which includes Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey and San Benito counties.
Under Draper's plan, Northern California would include 40 counties with a population of 13.3 million people who would earn a median income of 63,000 USA dollars.
Creating two new states would add four new members to the U.S. Senate, two for each of the additional Californias.
But Bill Whalen, a Hoover Institution research fellow and political expert, said the proposed new map might not seem like the answer to those most frustrated with the state's politics.