Author Archives: Rose Institute

Arizona Redistricting Commission Application

As California works through the process of setting up its own independent redistricting commission, there is much it can learn from the experiences of other independent redistricting commission, such as Arizona’s. In that vein, our thanks to the staff of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission and the Arizona Administrative Office of the Courts for digging up… Continue Reading

Fellow Douglas Johnson interviewed on KPCC

Today KPCC talk radio host Pat Morrison interviewed Rose Institute Fellow Douglas Johnson. Mr. Johnson discussed Federal transportation funding and the MTA with MTA spokeswoman Carol Ng, La Habra Heights City Manager Shauna Clark, and Congressman Adam Schiff. When it is available, the podcast will be posted on the KPCC website. Update I: The KPCC coverage… Continue Reading

Doug Johnson on Cities Selling Stimulus Funds in Pasadena Star-News

In a recent article in the Pasadena Star-News on the subject of cities in Los Angeles County selling stimulus funds for less restrictive funds, Doug Johnson is quoted as criticizing the wheeling and dealing between cities and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s approval of such transactions: The MTA’s authorization of such swaps amounts… Continue Reading

Piece in Charlotte Observer Calls for Redistricting Reform

In a strongly worded piece in Sunday’s Charlotte Observer, Taylor Batten, editor of the newspaper’s editorial board, calls for the North Carolina Legislature to approve of identical bills that are floating around the state’s House of Representatives and Senate. Batten artfully describes the process in terms that those unfamiliar with redistricting can relate to: You… Continue Reading

Massachusetts Legislature Rejects Independent Redistricting by Wide Margin

Last Friday the Massachusetts House of Representatives rejected allowing an independent redistricting commission to suggests districts in a 132-23 vote against an amendment according to the State House News Service. Instead the House will effectively control the Congressional and Legislative redistricting committee with 21 of the 28 members being from that Chamber. The House Chairman… Continue Reading

Kansas Considers Non-Partisan Redistricting Reform

According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, state legislators in Kansas are considering enacting redistricting reform that would make non-partisan legislative staff the ones responsible for drawing the lines for State Legislative, Board of Education, and Congressional Districts in the state. Legislative leaders in both houses and parties have gotten on board, with the only notable holdout… Continue Reading

DoJ Preclears CA Prop 11

Today the US Department of Justice gave its formal approval to California’s Proposition 11 redistricting reform measure. This is the final step in approval of Prop 11. The independent redistricting commission is now official. As noted in the DoJ Preclearance Letter, future steps in this process will require additional DoJ review. These include any regulations… Continue Reading

Kosmont Survey Mentioned in Forbes Column

A recent column at Forbes by Joel Kotkin discusses the results of the Kosmont-Rose Institute Cost of Doing Business Survey. Mr. Kotkin mentions the fact that Los Angeles’s surrounding cities are mostly cheaper than it according to the survey, allowing local businesses to move to lower costs areas but stay in the region. Of course,… Continue Reading

Group Pushes for Independent Redistricting in Louisiana

According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana is pushing for the Louisiana Legislature to agree to move to an independent redistricting commission rather than having the legislature draw the lines as they do currently. However party and legislative chamber leaders from both sides of the aisle deadpanned the idea:… Continue Reading

Twitter Comes to Sacramento News Coverage

According to a recent article in Capital Weekly, Twitter, the fast growing social networking messaging site has managed to make its way into coverage of Sacramento. John Myers of KQED started a Twitter account to cover the budget negotiations in Sacramento, and it quickly became one of the most important sources for the latest news:… Continue Reading