Sacramento — If anything needs to be reformed in California, it's the initiative system. It's out of control, running amok.
Consider that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his zeal to "reform," is preparing to call a special election in November that would cost taxpayers at least $50 million, perhaps $70 million. State government already is deficit-ridden. How ironic -- or is it cynical? -- that the governor is promoting an initiative called the "Live Within Our Means Act."
"Think big," he told me two months ago when I questioned him about the urgency. "Sometimes you have to put up a certain amount of money to make more money back."
The state wouldn't have to put up any extra money if it waited until next year and placed all the current, proliferating initiatives on a regular election ballot.
But by next year, Sacramento will be in an even deeper budget hole. And Schwarzenegger thinks he needs a new spending limit to force him and the Legislature to slash programs more aggressively than either have the stomach for without a voter mandate. It's the only way to balance the budget without a tax increase.
Also, calling a special election this year gives Schwarzenegger a big fundraising advantage.
This year, there'll be no limit on an individual donation to the committee that is financing the governor's initiative campaigns. For example, Spanish-language TV entrepreneur A. Jerrold Perenchio already has kicked in $1.5 million.
But next year, if Schwarzenegger is running for a second term, he won't be allowed to appear in an initiative TV commercial within 45 days of the election unless the committee abides by the gubernatorial donation limit of $22,300.
So this year, he'll be better armed for the TV ad wars. And, if voters are willing, he'll be granted a license to whack all programs -- from education to healthcare to transportation -- and be spared from finally having to raise taxes.
But set aside the issue of whether the governor and the Legislature, with enough political courage, could balance the budget on their own without a $70-million special election -- and that if a constitutional fix is needed, such as providing more flexibility in school funding, it could be offered to voters on a regular, already paid-for ballot.
The current problem is that there's political anarchy in the streets, a shootout between special interests like we've never seen, at least in modern times.
