The Secretary of State's office has given the green light to begin gathering signatures for a ballot initiative to lower the vote requirement for passing a state budget or increasing taxes from two-thirds to a three-fifths supermajority.
The man behind the initiative, Berkeley-based attorney and editor Robert Denham, says he figures that a three-fifths majority would prevent gridlock over the budget but still be palatable to voters wary of dropping the requirement to a simple majority.
"I thought voters are more likely to sign off on something that doesn't make it too easy," said Denham, a Democrat. "That sort of puts it in range of where a current or broad majority of the center-left could get together and make some reasonable decisions and about the budget and about taxes."
Denham's proposal would put the bar needed to pass a budget and raise taxes at 48 votes in the Assembly and 24 in the Senate -- right under the number of seats Democrats now hold in both houses.
Denham said has felt "flickers of interest" over his plan but is still looking for sponsors and financial support.
In other news: Candidates running for statewide office have to file fundraising and expenditure reports today. Attorney General Jerry Brown, the man who may run to be governor again, announced yesterday he already has about $7.4 million on hand.
The informational meeting of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee
scheduled today was postponed. The meeting was to discuss closure of a 10-bed unit that is part of the Yountville veterans home.
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