Too late to redistrict for 2006, some say

By Steve Lawrence
ASSOCIATED PRESS

SACRAMENTO - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has run out of time in his bid to redraw California's legislative and congressional districts for the 2006 elections, even some supporters of his effort say.

"The governor's office just dilly-dallied around for too long," said Tony Quinn, a former adviser to Assembly Republicans on redistricting. "You can't do it when there's not enough time."

The Republican governor is pushing both a legislative constitutional amendment and a ballot initiative that would take away the Legislature's power to draw the districts and give that duty to a panel of retired judges.

Both measures would require the ex-judges to redraw districts for the 2006 elections, a step that Schwarzenegger says would make races for the Legislature and Congress more competitive.

more: http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/politics/11049470.htm

If Arnold wants to present a new way of drawing district lines to begin after the 2010 census, I promise to give it a fair hearing.

If Arnold wants to present a new way of drawing district lines as a bait-and-switch tactic in a Tom DeLay-like power grab, I'll vote No without thinking twice.