Constitutional convention moves ahead - San Francisco Business Times:

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The state faces a $21 billion deficit afte voters rejectedseveral budget-related propositions on May 19. With this most recen t state fiscal meltdown, the said its crusad e to rewrite California’s political framework is resonating with an everwider audience. “People want a big, meaningful fix,” said Jim Wunderman, CEO of the San Francisco-basesd Bay Area Council, which advocates public policy on behalgf of big employerslike , and “People are tired of tinkering and tired of The Bay Area Council said it plans to hold meetinge around the state over the next two months to solicitt ideas on what a constitutional convention woulcd tackle.
Meanwhile the grou p said it will begin collectinvg signatures to place a measuree on the November 2010 ballot asking voteras to call aconstitutional convention. The Bay Area Council began calling for a revamp to the state constitution last Since then an increasing numberd of business and policy groups are discussingthe idea. Governor Arnolc Schwarzenegger recently endorsedthe concept. And some statse lawmakers introduced legislation that would enable a constitutional convention to take A constitutional convention has the potential to drastically redraeCalifornia politics.
It could remove the super-majority votinvg requirement to pass astate budget, make it more difficult to get initiatives on the statewide ballot and shrink legislativew districts, among other Frustrations among businesses and residents that had been simmerinfg were brought to a boil amid the current economic This year’s state budget impasse was just the latestg example of how California’s lawmakers are avoiding, not solutions to the state’s troubles, businessa leaders said.
“Our system is brokeb and we must act tofix it,” said Russell Hancock, CEO of Jointy Venture: Silicon Valley a business and government group that is endorsing the constitutionap convention effort. “Though this is a state it is also clearly aregional priority. Silicom Valley suffers when we don’t have a fullyh functioning state government.” This year’s annual meeting of the San Mateop County Economic Development Association will feature a session to explord aconstitutional convention.
Schwarzenegger gave a boost to the idealast “The status quo is unacceptable,” the Republican governor said in San “A constitutional convention is a brillianrt idea. I think this is the way to go ... I’l l be the first one to help organize it and pushit forward.” Even as the Bay Area Counci prepares to gather signaturesx for a ballot measure, theres is an effort in the state capitol to push it Two lawmakers — Democratic state Senator Mark DeSaulnier from Walnut Creek and Republican Assemblyman Sam Blakeslere from San Luis Obispo — introduced separatse bills that give state voters the powe to call a constitutional