Prop. 93 is a toss-up, poll shows
Likely voters in California's Feb. 5 primary are split almost evenly on the ballot measure that would alter term limits for legislators.
SACRAMENTO -- Half of likely California voters support Proposition 93, the ballot measure to adjust the Legislature's term limits, but nearly as many appear poised to reject it, according to a new poll.
A week before election day, with most likely voters saying they have made up their minds, the initiative shows no strong lead, according to a Times/CNN/Politico poll conducted by Opinion Research Corp.
The 1,218 likely primary voters interviewed Wednesday through Sunday under the supervision of Times Poll Director Susan Pinkus showed 50% of voters supporting Proposition 93 and 46% leaning against it, with a margin of sampling error of 3 percentage points.
Republican voters are evenly split on the measure. Democrats and independent voters show more inclination to vote for it, but initiatives generally need stronger support before election day to overcome the tendency of uncertain voters to say "no."
Orchestrated by the Legislature's Democratic leadership and funded by many corporations, unions and other interests with a stake in legislative action, Proposition 93 would alter the strict term limits voters passed in 1990.
The measure would shorten the overall number of years a legislator can serve from 14 to 12, but allow all of those years to be spent in either the Assembly or the Senate. Under current law, members of the Assembly may serve three two-year terms and senators are allowed two four-year terms.
Proposition 93 also would permit current legislators to stay, regardless of how long they have already been in the Legislature, until they have served a total of 12 years in their current house. That clause would enable Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) to run for an additional six and four years, respectively.
If Proposition 93 fails, Nunez and Perata will have to leave the Legislature in December.
Supporters of the measure argue that California's term limits expel legislators just as they are gaining the knowledge and experience needed to tackle such complex issues as healthcare, the state's water supply and budgeting. Proposition 93, they say, strikes a balance that protects term limits while allowing lawmakers to focus more on policy than reelection.
Opponents call the measure a deceptive, self-serving attempt by legislative leaders to hang on to their jobs. They say the measure undermines term limits by extending the time a lawmaker can stay in one house. Some critics complain that Nunez and Perata broke a promise to couple Proposition 93 with a measure to take away from legislators the power to draw voting districts.
nancy.vogel@latimes.com
