The independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC), a Constitutionally mandated agency created by the voters of California to create districts free of political influence, announced today that due to defunding its State supported operations will cease as of June 30th, 2012.
The voter-approved initiative creating the commission as a Constitutional agency, however, makes it clear that the Commission has a continuing existence and the current Commissioners have "the sole legal standing to defend any action regarding a certified map and shall inform the Legislature if it determines that funds and other resources provided for the operation of the commission are not adequate". "The Legislature is unquestionably responsible for providing adequate funding to defend any action regarding a certified map," said Stan Forbes current Chair of the Citizens Redistricting Commission. "The Legislature's decision to eliminate funding for CRC staff or to provide funding to a "host" agency for the remaining term of the Commission jeopardizes its ability to respond should there be future litigation."
With the intent of minimizing costs to the State while maintaining the basic level of operational support required for the Commission to fulfill its voter-approved mandates, CRC staff have inquired with multiple agencies to determine where operations might be housed while maintaining the basic level of operational support required for the Commission to fulfill its voter-approved mandates.
In each instance the contacted agencies have declined the request, with the final refusal delivered May 30, 2012, just 1 month prior to the day the Commission's own staff will be eliminated due to defunding by the Legislature.
Unfortunately, neither the original voter-approved initiative that created the Commission, Proposition 11, nor the subsequent voter-approved initiative, Proposition 20, designates a host agency or even contemplated independent operations being defunded by the Legislature.
"The Commission needs to be able to maintain the CRC website, www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov, to preserve the basic level of transparency that the citizens of California deserve and have come to expect, especially in light of the referendum this November," said Forbes." No other agency has comprehensive informational resources available to the public and restricting the Commission now by defunding it and not providing a host agency is a step back into shadowed government."
The Commission has released a detailed memo outlining its efforts that can be viewed on its website at http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/meeting_handouts_062012/handouts_20120605_crc_nohost.pdf.