Prop. 77 would return power to the people

Government by the people and for the people seems to have gotten lost in California, but there’s a glimmer of hope this November with the coming of Proposition 77, the so-called People’s Initiative.

Prop. 77 would allow a board of impartial, retired judges– and not the state legislature–to redraw the California Assembly, Senate, Board of Equalization and U.S. Congressional districts.

A yes vote on the November measure means the boundaries for California’s political districts would be drawn by the panel of judges and sent back to the voters for their approval.

At last, the voters would have the chance to take charge of a job that’s been manipulated and bungled by our state legislators for years. The current process has become tainted with politics. It’s time to put the power of representative government back in the hands of the people. Prop. 77 is seen as a less political way of drawing the voting boundaries and will breathe new life into our democracy, proponents say.

One of the great things about local government—and Agoura Hills, Calabasas and Westlake Village are excellent examples—is that it allows the average citizen to participate and make a difference. Go to city hall twice a month when the the local councils meet, fill out a speaker’s card and you’ll have an opportunity to tell local leaders what’s on your mind.

On the state level, voting districts that are created by career politicians and not the general population allow the officeholders to extend their stay and often lose touch with their constituents.

While state and federal government can never achieve the level of citizen involvement that local government can, Prop. 77 at least offers a step in the right direction.

Opponents fear that handing over the redistricting chores of California to three unelected and retired judges is the equivalent of taking power away from one political group and putting it in the hands of another.

We see it as a return to the politics of empowerment in which the people once again have a voice.