California can't afford Propositions 1D and 1E

But there have been a few initiative sponsors who have chosen the fiscally responsible path. Their rationale? If they could somehow manage to win despite the political costs of backing taxes, their programs would have a steady source of funding. Most self-funding initiatives -- most recently, the 2006 oil tax Proposition 87 -- go down to defeat. But Propositions 10 and 63 claimed notable, if narrow, victories.

Unfortunately, the very thing that makes these initiatives fiscally responsible -- the revenue streams they created -- has made them targets of lawmakers desperate to balance California's budget.

Given the state's persistent budget deficits and cuts to other health programs, there's a strong argument for backing the 1D and 1E raids. But there's a hidden, long-term cost to punishing responsible behavior. Now that the Legislature has proposed to grab Proposition 10 and Proposition 63 tax revenues, it's a safe bet that initiative sponsors will think twice before being so responsible again.

Election lawyers and political consultants say they are likely to advise their clients that including a revenue stream in their initiatives may only make them a bigger target for lawmakers seeking to balance budgets. Bonds may provide more protection against the Legislature, they say.

In the long run, this trend may cost the state more money than 1D and 1E save. Interest costs on bonds are high in California. And rising debt repayment and interest costs are significant contributors to the state's deficit.

What to do? The governor and lawmakers could have added a seventh measure to the special election ballot that would have addressed this problem. Senate Constitutional Amendment 4, co-written by Democratic and Republican state senators, would have required all future initiatives to be self-funding.

But in the final hours of the February budget battle that produced the special election ballot, SCA 4's contents were deleted and replaced with an open primary measure that state Sen. Abel Maldonado demanded in exchange for his vote on the package.

Perhaps the self-funding requirement, now reintroduced as SCA 14, will rise again. If not, California voters can say goodbye to initiatives that pay their own way.