Coalition pitches redistricting plan

After three years of lawmakers' failed promises, a coalition of activist groups filed an initiative Tuesday to strip the Legislature of authority to draw its own political districts.

Kathay Feng, executive director of California Common Cause, said the current system creates a conflict of interest.

"Legislators have every incentive to cut communities up in ways that ensure that they can get re-elected without any challenge," she said.

Republicans and Democrats struck a deal in 2001 to draw districts that protected incumbents of both parties. Only one of 53 congressional seats – and none of 120 legislative seats – has changed party hands in the past two elections.

The initiative filed Tuesday calls for redistricting to be handled by a 14-member citizens commission of five Democrats, five Republicans and four independent or minor-party voters.

The panel would draw legislative and Board of Equalization districts, but not those of Congress, a concession to Democratic congressional leaders that is likely to inflame opposition.

"It doesn't pass the sanity test," Assembly Republican leader Mike Villines said of excluding Congress. "I think it's a mistake."

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger supports the new initiative by Common Cause, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and AARP (formerly American Association of Retired Persons).

Proponents have raised $140,000 thus far, half of it from Project Democracy. Feng said the group has ties to Kent Thiry of DaVita Inc., which provides kidney dialysis services.

Feng said she expects to raise about $2 million to collect between 700,000 and 1 million valid voter signatures.

Legislative leaders have vowed for three years to overhaul the current system, but each time the effort fizzled.

Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez continues to support change but feels it should come from lawmakers, representing communities statewide, rather than from groups pushing an all-or-nothing initiative, spokesman Steve Maviglio said.

Villines, Senate Republican leader Dick Ackerman and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata were not familiar Tuesday with details of the new proposal.

Voters have killed redistricting proposals five times in the past 25 years, most recently Proposition 77 in 2005.

Feng said the new initiative, unlike past efforts, is not a partisan power grab.

"It's not driven by any party," she said. "It's driven by a lot of groups that see a problem that needs to be fixed."

The 14-member commission proposed by the initiative would draw new maps every 10 years, beginning in 2011.

Eight commissioners would be chosen randomly from a pool of voter applicants culled to 60 by a three-member panel of state auditors, then trimmed to as few as 36 by the Legislature's four leaders, each of whom could reject up to six candidates.

Once eight commissioners were selected, they would choose six colleagues from the final pool of applicants. Selections should complement the panel's skills and diversity.

New maps by the citizens panel could not take effect unless supported by three Democratic commissioners, three Republicans, and three from the independent/minor party bloc.

In drawing districts, the commission must consider city or county boundaries, and communities of interest. Members could not take the location of an incumbent's home into account.

The California Supreme Court would step in if the commission could not reach agreement or if its maps were overturned by referendum.

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