Official Voter Information Guide
Propositions
Proposition 28About Primary Elections
Dates to Remember
- May 21, 2012
Last day to register to vote - May 29, 2012
Last day to apply for a
vote-by-mail ballot by mail - June 5, 2012
Election Day
PROP
28
LIMITS ON LEGISLATORS' TERMS IN OFFICE. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 28
Our current term limits law needs fixing. It's two decades old, but our Legislature is still filled with career politicians more focused on campaigning for their next office than doing their job. Proposition 28 is a simple reform that will help make our Legislature more accountable.
A STRICT 12-YEAR LIMIT.
The current term limits law is based on the number of terms served. It says legislators can only complete their 14-year lifetime limit by serving three two-year terms in the Assembly and two four-year terms in the Senate. But the courts have opened up a loophole allowing politicians to serve up to nearly 17 years by filling partial term vacancies that don't get counted as part of their limit. Prop. 28 reduces the lifetime limit to 12 years and closes that "17-year loophole" by imposing a strict limit based on the number of years served in the Legislature, not on the number of terms.
After 12 years in the Legislature—whether in the Assembly, Senate, or a combination of the two—a politician is prohibited from running for the Legislature. Every year counts. To make sure there are no more loopholes, current and former legislators are prohibited from using Proposition 28 to extend their lifetime limits.
MAKE LEGISLATORS MORE ACCOUNTABLE.
The current term limits law inadvertently encourages the wrong behaviors. The only way legislators can complete their lifetime limit is to move from office to office. Once elected, they start holding fundraisers and looking for their next office. Many Assembly members fail to reach the six-year maximum before they leave to seek their next office.
Politicians looking ahead for their next office are not concentrating on representing concerns of their current district. Proposition 28 gives legislators the choice of running for re-election in the same district instead of flipping offices to complete their lifetime limits. This will focus legislators on serving their districts to get re-elected instead of on lining up support in Sacramento to run elsewhere.
FOCUS LEGISLATORS ON DOING THEIR JOB.
Legislators who are jumping from office to office aren't focused on learning their job. This leaves legislators ill-prepared to stand up to more experienced special interest lobbyists and take on the big issues and challenges facing our state. Almost 40% of Assembly members are new to their jobs after each election. By removing the incentive to change office just to complete their lifetime limits, Proposition 28 means legislators will be more likely to learn their job and develop the expertise to get things done.
HELP FIX OUR TERM LIMITS LAW. THE STATUS QUO ISN'T WORKING.
Proposition 28 won't solve all the problems in Sacramento. But it is a step forward that brings positive change that helps make the Legislature more effective and accountable.
READ PROP. 28 FOR YOURSELF. Prop. 28 does what it says. It's a strict 12-year limit that closes the 17-year loophole and improves accountability. Prop. 28 is a step in the right direction. Yes on 28.
JENNIFER A. WAGGONER, President
League of Women Voters of California
KATHAY FENG, Executive Director
California Common Cause
HANK LACAYO, President
Congress of California Seniors
REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 28
The arguments made by the supporters of Proposition 28 show that it's a scam to TRICK voters into weakening term limits.
The special interests and career politicians behind Prop. 28 state that under the current term limits law "almost 40% of Assembly members are new to their jobs after each election." Exactly.
That's because the current term limits law moves politicians out of office and allows new people to be elected—and prevents political bosses from accumulating too much power in the Legislature.
Under Proposition 28, members of the State Assembly will actually have THEIR TIME IN OFFICE DOUBLED—NOT REDUCED.
Under Proposition 28, members of the State Senate will actually have THEIR TIME IN OFFICE INCREASED BY 50%—NOT REDUCED.
An independent study conducted by U.S. Term Limits, the nation's leading pro-term limits organization, showed that 80% of legislators will have their time in office lengthened and only 8% will have their time in office reduced if politicians are allowed to stay in the same office for 12 years.
Prop. 28 is the FIFTH time that the politicians and special interests have tried to weaken term limits and lengthen politicians' time in office. They've used sneaky and misleading initiatives and court challenges to overturn the will of the people. Don't let them get away with it. Vote NO on Proposition 28—IT'S A SCAM!
TED COSTA, President
People's Advocate, Inc.
KRISTEN LUCERO, Vice President
Californians for Term Limits
PETER C. FOY, Chairman
Americans for Prosperity, California
ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 28
PROPOSITION 28 IS A SCAM!
It is one of the most dishonest and deceitful ballot measures in the history of California—and that's saying a lot! This is just the latest slimy effort by politicians and their special interest supporters to try and FOOL VOTERS into gutting California's voter-approved term limits law.
Proposition 28 is designed to trick voters into thinking it strengthens terms limits when it does the exact opposite. Prop. 28 actually weakens term limits for state legislators and dramatically lengthens the amount of time politicians can stay in office!
That is why Prop. 28 is written and funded with millions of dollars by the most powerful special interests in California including unions opposed to pension reforms that could save taxpayers billions of dollars.
Proposition 28's top backer is a wealthy developer who sought a special exemption from environmental regulations by the Legislature—at the exact same time he was paying to qualify this initiative—so that he could make millions by building a sports stadium.
The Legislature gladly gave the developer the sweetheart deal he wanted—and he rewarded the politicians by making sure that those who were elected to the state Legislature would be able to stay in office
The Los Angeles Times on December 30th, 2009 reported, "Two months after state lawmakers exempted a football stadium proposed for the City of Industry from environmental laws, the sports venue's developer has contributed $300,000 to a ballot measure that would allow future legislators to stay in one office longer."
Look at the facts and judge for yourself.
Proposition 28 allows politicians to be in the California State Assembly for 12 years—not the 6 year maximum permitted under current law.
That means members of the State Assembly will actually have THEIR TIME IN OFFICE DOUBLED—NOT REDUCED!
Proposition 28 also allows politicians to be in the California State Senate for 12 years—not the 8 year maximum permitted under current law.
That means members of the State Senate will actually have THEIR TIME IN OFFICE INCREASED BY 50%—NOT REDUCED.
The politicians and special interests spent millions to try and stop term limits when it first passed. Since then, they have tried twice to trick voters into letting the politicians stay in power for many more years.
Proposition 28 is just their latest slimy trick to fool voters.
Don't let them get away with it!
If Proposition 28 passes, career politicians and special interests win. California's voters lose.
Proposition 28 is a scam to subvert the will of the voters. Don't let the politicians and special interests get away with tricking us and finally succeed in gutting term limits. Don't be fooled by this sneaky effort to sabotage term limits. VOTE NO on PROPOSITION 28!
PHILIP BLUMEL, President
U.S. Term Limits
ANITA ANDERSON, Vice President
Parents In Charge Foundation
LEW UHLER, President
National Tax Limitation Committee
REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 28
When I campaigned for the original term limits law more than 20 years ago, we had one goal: end the era of career politicians focused on their own interests over the needs of voters.
We hoped the law would bring a new type of "citizen legislator," who would serve for a short period and return to private life, giving others opportunities to bring fresh ideas and new perspectives to government.
It hasn't turned out that way.
Politicians spend most of their time in office looking for their next job, trying to extend their political careers by constantly rotating from one office to another.
The opponents' arguments are misleading. Read Prop. 28 for yourself. It does exactly what it says it will do. Prop. 28 closes the loophole that allows legislators to serve as many as 17 years. Prop. 28 mandates a hard lifetime limit of 12 years, which can be served in the Senate, the Assembly, or a combination of both. No current or former legislator can extend their time in office because of Prop. 28.
The status quo isn't working. After two decades, our term limits law needs reform. Not surprisingly, special interests are arguing for business as usual.
Will Prop. 28 fix every problem we have in Sacramento? No.
But it is a step in the right direction. Prop. 28 imposes a hard 12 year limit. It will help improve accountability and focus legislators on the job we elected them to do.
Vote Yes on Prop. 28.
DAN SCHNUR, Chairman (2010–2011)
California Fair Political Practices Commission
Arguments printed on this page are the opinions of the authors and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency.
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