The powerful Los Angeles County Federation of Labor is becoming increasingly active in the drive to place an initiative to alter California's legislative term limits onto the November ballot.
The federation has made two contributions totaling $150,000 the past two weeks to a committee supporting the term-limits measure, bringing the federation's cumulative contribution to $250,000.
Maria Elena Durazo, head of the federation, serves as treasurer of Californians For A Fresh Start, the committee leading the drive to qualify the measure for the ballot, state records show.
The group touts itself as the second largest labor federation of its kind in the country, representing more than 350 unions and more than 800,000 workers. Officials did not immediately return phone calls Friday.
The term-limits measure was filed with the attorney general's office Oct. 8 by Lance Olson, whose Sacramento law firm has a long history of representing Democratic politicians and causes.
Secretary of State Debra Bowen has cleared the proposal to gather 694,354 signatures by April 22 to qualify for the November ballot.
Like Proposition 93, which voters rejected two years ago, the new measure would reduce legislative term limits from 14 years to 12 years, but allow all to be served in one house.
Unlike Proposition 93, however, Olson's proposal would not apply to lawmakers holding office when ballots were cast.
Californians For A Fresh Start has collected $580,000 in donations. The largest came from the developer of a proposed National Football League stadium in the city of Industry, Majestic Realty, which chipped in $300,000.
Other donors are the Los Angeles Jobs Political Action Committee, $10,000; POPA Inc., a law enforcement committee, $10,000; BNSF Railway Co., $7,500; and the O'Melveny & Myers law firm, $3,000.
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