I know that we all get tired when we think about the numerous ballot measures we are asked to decide upon each election cycle here in California. It would be easy to get cynical and vote no on all of them. Instead, I am asking you to consider the importance of Proposition 11, how it will effect future elections and how the state legislature should work for us. Consider a YES vote on this one.

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Don't Overlook Important Prop 11: Consider a Yes Vote
By Joann Steinmeier
COO, microJoining Solutions;
President of the Board of Education, Arcadia Unified School District
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Proposition 11 will dramatically change how we chose legislators and no longer allow them to chose us.
Let me explain.
Since the founding of the state in 1850 the California Constitution has charged the legislators with the task of redrawing their district lines every 10 years, right after the U.S. Census is completed. This was not really a problem until more recently. The process is now the poster child for gerrymandering, which is a practice of controlling the political make up of the district in which the legislator resides with the goal of make it nearly inevitable for him/her to be re-elected. Even when term limits are reached the same political party wins the election. The seat is nearly “guaranteed” for one or the other of the two major political parties.
The net effect of this is that we are regularly electing the most ideological extremes of both parties to the legislature. These legislators find it very difficult to work together to solve the real public policy matters for fear of losing the next election. The only thing they seem to work well on is redistricting. The recent budget stalemate is just the most recent example of the problem but there are too many to mention here.
The good news is the Proposition 11 is a well thought out and well written alternative to our current method of redrawing district lines. The authors of the bill looked at all the ways that the process could be corrupted and have worked to counter them.  They have even backed it up with California Supreme Court appeal or review. Although I am not an expert on the process, I have been following the abuses for my entire adult life and frankly, we should all be tired of having our legislators choose their districts and then not take leadership to work earnestly to balance the budget, plan for the future growth of the state and protect our economy.
You don’t have to take my word for it, just read the detailed process set up by Proposition 11 and then ask yourself if this would not be better than the current scheme. Consider a Yes Vote on Proposition 11.
No matter what you decide, please Vote on November 4th.