‘Six Californias’ plan falls short of making November 2016 ballot
Reporting from Sacramento — A quixotic proposal to split California into six states failed to qualify for the November 2016 ballot, officials announced Friday.
The initiative, the brainchild of Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, did not have enough valid petition signatures, according to the California secretary of state’s office.
Draper argued for his proposal by saying California is too large to have a properly functioning government. He called the initiative an “opportunity to reboot and refresh our state government.”
Opponents said the plan was an embarrassing distraction that would cause political chaos and greater inequity.
“Six Californias was a solution in search of a problem that didn’t address any of our state’s challenges,” said a statement from Fabian Nuñez, a former Assembly speaker.
The initiative was also a long shot at best. Even if Californians voted for the initiative, it would still require congressional approval.
Follow @chrismegerian on Twitter for more updates from Sacramento.
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