Sunday, September 26, 2004
Supermajority reqirements lead to stagnation
In California, we have suffered the deleterious effects of a super-majority requirement (two thirds) for most all significant fiscal decisions. This has led to a near absolute immpasse in those matters. The direct result of both our legislature's and electorate's inability to move forward in those areas has led directly to a loss of credibility in the ability of Californians to govern ourselves.
Take education as an instance. Very few measures that would allow raising money for the improvement of the education systems at the local level have been able to garner a super-majority of the vote. It is true that they gain a simple majority and more. But rarely are two thirds of the population willing to spend their money for someone else's children. The net result of this contributed to California schools' failure to maintain even a par relationship with the rest of the country. Prior to strictures we placed on ourselves, California schools were amoung the very best in the nation. They have fallen to the bottom.
Our library system has also suffered. Many counties have closed or seriously cut back the hours of their libraries. Measures intended to raise and allocate funds to maintain libraries also fail to garner two thirds of the vote in all but a very few instances. Even in the depths of the depression, libraries were essentially untouched by the budgetary axe.
The list is long. Basic services we so painstakenly built up during the first three quarters of the 20th century have decayed or have been lost. Healthcare, transportation and basic urban services like sewer, fire protection and police services have been directly affected.
By restricting our ability to respond to changing concerns, we ensure that we will backslide. Our population grows every year. Yet, our inability to maintain current infrastructure let alone add the requisite infrastructure to accomodate our new neighbors ensures the quality of life here can only diminish.
Take education as an instance. Very few measures that would allow raising money for the improvement of the education systems at the local level have been able to garner a super-majority of the vote. It is true that they gain a simple majority and more. But rarely are two thirds of the population willing to spend their money for someone else's children. The net result of this contributed to California schools' failure to maintain even a par relationship with the rest of the country. Prior to strictures we placed on ourselves, California schools were amoung the very best in the nation. They have fallen to the bottom.
Our library system has also suffered. Many counties have closed or seriously cut back the hours of their libraries. Measures intended to raise and allocate funds to maintain libraries also fail to garner two thirds of the vote in all but a very few instances. Even in the depths of the depression, libraries were essentially untouched by the budgetary axe.
The list is long. Basic services we so painstakenly built up during the first three quarters of the 20th century have decayed or have been lost. Healthcare, transportation and basic urban services like sewer, fire protection and police services have been directly affected.
By restricting our ability to respond to changing concerns, we ensure that we will backslide. Our population grows every year. Yet, our inability to maintain current infrastructure let alone add the requisite infrastructure to accomodate our new neighbors ensures the quality of life here can only diminish.
