HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04231996 - C94 `i
C.94
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on April 23, 1996 , by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Rogers, Bishop, DeSaulnier, Torlakson and Smith
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
SUBJECT: Correspondence
C. 94 LETTER dated April 10, 1996, from Harry Ernst, Ernst & Associates, 614 Tennessee
Street, Vallejo, CA 94590, transmitting a report from an independent observer in attendance
at the March 25, 1996, meeting of the California Constitution Revision Commission.
*""*REFERRED TO COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the above recommendation is approved.
1 hereby certify that this is a true and correctcopyof
an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supeyjisors on the date ah
ATTESTED: �g G----
PHIL BATCHELOR,Clerk of the Board
of Supervisors end County Administrator
C.C. Correspondents
County Administrator
ERNST & ASSOCIATES
Franklin "Harry" Ernst, III
ARCHITECT,A.I.A.,C.S.I.
April 10, 1996
Chairman and Members of the Board
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors RECEIVE®
651 Pine St., Room 106
Martinez, California 94553 APR 12 1996
CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CONTRA COSTA CO.
Sirs:
I thought you should know about the plan to revise our California Constitution,
especially how an independent attending observer has seen the meetings. Dr Ernst has
been attending these California Constitution Revision Commission meetings and has
written on his observations of them. He gave me permission to send you a copy of his
most recent report on these meetings. I enclose it here. Did you see his 3/7/96 report to
the members of the California Assembly and Senate that he hand delivered to their
Sacramento offices a few weeks ago?
Dr Ernst reports that at the 3/25/96 meeting the Commission Chairman prevented
Commissioners from making several corrections to the just-released-to-them August
1995 minutes. The August 1995 minutes could have been finally adopted for the
Commission record.
I am opposed to any change in the Constitution where not even the
Commissioners supposedly approving the recommended changes are allowed to see in
printed form what they "voted"for.
Sincerely yours,
614 Tennessee Street ■ P.O. Box 3009 ■ Vallejo, CA 94590 ■ (707) 643-5100 ■ Fax (707) 644-6358
x
Diplomate,American Board of FRANKLIN H.ERNST,JR.,M.D. Life Fellow
Psychiatry and Neurology Inc. American Psychiatric Association
Psychiatry P.O.Box 3009
Vallejo,California 94590
(707) 643-6611
March 28, 1996 (Revised)
re : California Constitution Revision Commission
Constitution Revision Commission has been meeting for two years but any representation that this
Commission has approved any revisions in written form is a fraudulent misrepresentation.
NO MEETING MINUTES ADOPTED BY COMMISSION. To date, Commission, itself as a body,
has not even seen in written form any of what it supposedly has been "adopting"the past three months.
Whatever the Office or Officers of the Constitution Commission may be reporting to the public, to
legislators is unilateral, is not reflected in any adopted Commission meeting minute records.
Any Constitutional governance is in the wording of that document. In fact, no meeting minute
records of Commission meetings have been released by Chair for corrections, approval for almost a year.
Goal of an unofficial (Commission?) "steering committee": Get a Revised Constitution passed by
2/3rds of each house of legislature before 6/27/96 in order to get.it on the 11/5/96 ballot.Then it would
only take 50% +1 of the votes to pass it. Problem? The very extensive county administrative
government level vote fraud. See below.
Such a Revised Constitution does not have its own bill number(yet) even though deadline for all 1996
bills was 2/23/96. Several Constitution Amendment bills are being heard in legislature now. Maybe the
silent intent is to combine some into a Revised Constitution within another bill ("spot bill"procedure).
Several times this past year a Commission officer has asserted "We need a hammer. We need force
(to get cities, counties, districts to"consolidate",change,eg boundaries)." That"hammer?" A
mandatory, appointed"Charter Home Rule Commission"with its own autonomy in each County.
Another layer of govt planning.over County and City affairs and boundaries; redefining of state,
regional,local responsibilities for programs and services; which districts to abolish-consolidate eg
schools,judicial,etc. They say"Voters would be allowed a vote on these changes but voter jurisdictions
would be changed for the changes to be voted on." Future of Charter Cities? Looks up for grabs still! r
Another"hammer?" Abolish elections for a majority of our elected,voter-accountable statewide
officers and Boards including education; instead"consolidate"those offices under the power-of the
Governor. Four statewide officers would still be elected: Governor, Attorney General,Treasurer,
Secretary of State. Court Judges? Local Boards of Education would receive the"benefit"of more state
supervision. Most of the 2/3rd vote requirements would be done away with, eg general obligation
bonds,passage of legislative budgets. Goal: Further reduction in authority of elected representatives.
Without strong opposition from Californians to protect our cities, our schools,counties,elected
offices, chances are good this revised California Constitution would be passed by the legislature. It
would mandate regional government planning for the entire state --- by appointees.
At the 3/25/96 meeting, one of the new Commissioners came over to ask about my count of an item
he'd voted against. He counted the item as defeated by show of hands. But Exec Dir instead announced
1110 to 5, it passed." I and another audience member agreed with the questioning Commissioner- item
lost. My count was 7 to 9 against. This was not atypical of a series of personally observed events since
the "revision"items started coming up for"vote"to be"ADOPTED"beginning January this year.
GOVERNORS STATEWIDE ]HAMMER OVER LAND USE?
The "10 to 5. it passed"item? A mandatory State(wide) Commission to"give technical assistance ;
(supervision) to the County Charter Home Rule Commissions." Shades of Governor's Office of
Planning and Research. We saw it as the Governor's"hammer"over all regional,local government.
OATH OF OFFICE: In February `96 four replacement Commissioners were appointed; in March four
more. None took the required California Oath of Office. Has this Oath of Office been abandoned by
the"dysfunctional personality structures"in Sacramento? (See writer's 3/1/96 report to legislators.)
VOTESCAM? To remember: The County Administrative Officers (CAOs) of the 58 counties"own„
the appointed county government election departments and computers where votes are"counted",
including for the 11/5/96 general election. See also in this regard"VOTESCAM", Collier and Collier,
1992, Victoria House Press, NY, NY. Vote fraud is very extensive at the County government level.
California Association of Counties (CSAC) new Executive Director is the former Alameda County
Administrative Officer. California Constitution Revision.Commission Chairman names him as.a working
member of his"planninggroup"for this Revised Constitution.
Story is that National Association of County Administrators (NACA) has been favoring these"County
Home Rule Charter Commissions." NACA boilerplate? Whose time do they dance to?
California Constitution Revision Commission; 1201 "K"St,#1740; Sacramento, Calif 95814.
Telephone: 916/322-4121 or 323-3919.
It is hoped this synopsis of the activities of the California Constitution Revision Conunission gives
clues where to look further and for what.
F H"Doc"Ernst Jr
r
�,gy. .
I71 �1 �L � � �] ]7 � r7Cv� = 22 = G7 � �1 �1 �1mC) (7 (7 (7f� � W W W D � 3n W 0
_ - m o� cnD p
� ` c a� mco m 3 Lu �- mo v;,no N=� � ca 87
cu m N
O cy y' c- 0Cc C_nccd W � � AomrM � cl � � DDS Crime z O
CD j O 3 r� c CD c- 0=1- 2� �? � 3 � vi � G� 2sp r- -j
M N nCo3D O`z C 3 N nZ A Z
o w Cz � m rho cn _ 03 � � m Svc a. m 3 3 " w � o D � OZ NO D
0 � o D ? D-- 3 DvrvD� FD DFn-��Nmv � 3 70 � O
ww
cr D 0'. =
CD
X NXXX : XXXx : xxxX ! XXXXX : XXX : XX w can o C
O N 0 0 1 cO .. •-�
O so
1 V •"Z
/\
1
CD ; i i : i i i i C_ 0 M
NQ _ x , v, x00 xxxx : xxxOO : 0 OOxxx ; xOX : xxwe o M
1 1 1 1 1
ax x ; Xxx : XxxQ : xxxQx Q XQxQp xxx xx wcn cn N• O
Cn
�/ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 • Z
Q /� J X X X : ; X Q X O : X O X O X 1 1 O , X Q X X X : X X X : X X .. o
m O X nxxx ' XoxQ ; xxx00 ; ; O : XOOxx ; xQx : xx A� O �,' p
3
1 r — Z Z w �
X x Q, Xxx , ; XQxx : xpxxx , : O ; OOOOx xxx , xX CmCOO — N
7 3 Co UY
? X X;:? 0) xxQ ; Xxxx ; xQxQQ 1 ; 0 1 OOxxx ; XXX ; xX wm p
v 1 i n Z
O - m
1 1
v >!O,x �: NxQx xOxx xOOOx : ; Q 00000 : xxx i XX (jam � � p
mCD
x x WxxQ XQXx XxOOX O OOOXQ xxx QX oMM
CT
3 X X Xxx ; xxxx ; xxpQX : ; O : Xoxxx : xxx : XX Z CDK Om
1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 O IIS CD
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 y 1 V�
N 1 V 1
C /� V u a v v u u v O = O 3
� � � n � QQN^ Q X NOXQcp XXXXXQQQXpQQQQQXXQXXX Mm
0)am D;6-x x wxx0wmxxXQmx000xmmO OOOOXmXXXxx -+-v
Cp O O O O O O O -+ CD N
W Q x v, xxx (D O Xxxxo Xx000o O OO OOOXOo Xxxo xx co O
o �io 0 00 0 0 0
x v Nm CwD
I 1 1 1 1 O O 1 1 1 1 O 1 1 1 1 1 Q Q 1 Q 1 1 1 1 1 Q 1 1 1 Q 1 1 J
/\ 03 3 33 3 3 3 c0 M03w
X p pcn —
XXQC N• O 0 ;Q i x00009• • 0cn 9 000X09- XXX9• xx � � wZo
n cn w v_, tn. Cn Cn Cn � Ln 3 "
1
0# (D
1 1 1 l O 1 1 1 1 Q 1 1 1 1 1 Q 1 C7 1 1, 1 1 1 Q 1 1 1 0 1 1 J CD v 3 C
3 3 3 3 3 3- 3 O Cn T. N Cn
CD
D -•
X' p_, OOxX� 00X0 00000 0 � 000x0 000y XX rn � � CD Cf)
CD m v w v � '2) �< Z 3 CO
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 C 1 1 1 1 1 C 1 0 M L J
O O O O O O CD - " CD `� O
� x QNXxo ,� 3 XxxX � X0000 •0� a0a00O00'� XXX � xx wC MQ
7 CD CD CD CD —_
CD CD CD CD CD COD O N O cD
O O J •J •J •J CD •J •J •J •J •J •J •J •J •J oo— O •J •J •J •J •J •J •J •J •J C •J •J� C 7C
O �( CD CD
CD On O 0O 0 0 `� nD
(p ' O •J •J •J •J W -0 •J •J •J •J O •J •J •J •J •J O •J •J •J •J •J •J -n •J •J •J •J .�-.
CD 3 cD —' O Ul
`� O cn � ca 3 to v co C _. Z Z 0 o
CD ma c� co� 3 00 wl< <
fn - < N Cf) CD
CO CO CO CO Cp CO V1 3
N X p LXXX i NxQXXCOXXQ � QNO :7NXMX0XOXQQNXX �1C�D �
O CD O w 0 O CD w O n O ?�
C_ i Zn (T1 N � U1 �' U7 'NN^ ch n r
1 1 3 ; 3 : C-
C w
X O X x 0 � : O x X x : X x Q a Q : � a 1 Q Q X Q Q ; x Q x : X X p
N a 1
XO 0*
�' O 0 (0 �-4 p x XxXXXX XI XQ XXXOXxXXa CcDO
Ln am
cr
W CD
1 p 1 1 1 Q ' 1 1 1 1 Q ; 1 1 Q 1 1 ; 1 1 1 1 Q ; 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 CL
C]
CO 3 3 3 3 W o
� x p � pxN. xxXxN- > xx xx xxx- xxxxxx NCD 3 m
X O:_ aX � � XXQXX � XXQ � XXX XX XQ ? XXXXXXx CN7tK
• LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION by State STATE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION 24�State Area # Aver Cc Popul Averpop Counties State #St Popul/ -, #St Popul/ Asmbly Sum
sq mi Coun size x 1 mill /county Per Sen- St Sen Asmb-Asmbly- per all St Legisla-.
x 1000 ties sq mi 1990 100,000 ators lymen man 100,000 Legistr tors/
100,000/`
Alab 50.70 67 757 4.045 60373 .1.66 Alab 35 115571 105 38524 2.596 140 3.461
Alas 570.40 12 47533 0.550 45833 2.18 . Alas .20 27500 40 13750 7.273 60 10.909
Ariz 114.00 15 7600 3.665 244333 0.41 Ariz 30 122167 60 61083 1.637 90 2.456
Ark 52.10 75 695 2.351 31347 3.19 Ark 35 67171 100 23510 4.254 135 5.742
Calif 156.00 58 2690 29.760 513103 0.19 Calif 40 744000 80 372000 0.269 120 0.403
Colo 103.73 63 1647 3.294 52286 1.91 Colo 35 94114 65 50677 1.973 100 3.036
Conn 4.80 8 600 3.287 410875 0.24 Conn 36 91306 151 21768 4.594 187 5.689
Dela 2.00 3 667 0.666 222000 0.45 Dela 21 31714 41 16244 6.156 62 9.309
Flor 54.00 67 806 12.938 193104 0.52 Flor 40 323450 120 107817 0.928 160 1.237
Geor 57.90 159 364 6.478 40742 2.45 Geor 56 115679 180 35989 2.779 236 3.643
Haw 6.40 4 1600 1.100 275000 0.36 Haw 25 44000 51 21569 4.636 76 6.909
Idah 82.75 44 1881 1.007 22886 4.37 Idah 35 28771 70 14386 6.951 105 10.427
Illin 55.60 102 545 11.430 112059 0.89 Illin 59 193729 118 96864 1.032 177 1.549
Indi 35.87 92 390 5.544 60261 1.66 Indi 50 110880 100 55440 1.804 150 2.706
Iowa 55.88 99 564 2.777 28051 3.56 Iowa 50 55540 100 27770 3.601 150 5.402
Kans 81.80 105 779. 2.478 23600 4.24 Kans 40 61950 •125 19824 5.044 165 6.659
Kent 39.70 120 331 3.685 30708 3.26 Kent 38 96974 100 36850 C2.714 138 3.745
Louis 43.57 64 681 4.220 65938 1.52 Louis 38 111053 105 40190 2.488 143 3.389
Main 30.90 16 1931 1.228 76750 1.30 Main 35 35086 151 8132 12.296 186 15.147
Maryl 9.80 23 426 4.780 207826 0.48 Maryl 47 101702 141 33901 2.950 188 3.933
Mass 7.80 14 557 6.016 429714 0.23 Mass 40 150400 160 37600 2.660 200 3.324
Mich 58.11 83 700 9.296 112000 0.89 Mich 38 244632 11 C 84509 1.183 148 1.592
Minn 79.62 87 915 4.375 50287 1.99 Minn 67 65299 134 32649 3.063 201 4.594
Missippi 46.90 82 572 2.573 31378 3.19 Missippi 52 49481 122 21090 4.742 174 6.763
Missou ' 68.90 114 604 5.117 44886 2.23 Missou ' 34 150500 163 31393 3.185 197 3.850
Mont 145.60 56 2600 0.799 14268 7.01 Mont 50 15980 100' 7990 12.516 150 18.773
Nebr 76.90 93 827 1.578 16968 5.89 Nebr --- ---- 49 32204 3.105 49 3.105
Nev ' 109.80 16 6863 1.202 75125 1.33 Nev 21 57238 42 28619 -3.494 63 5.24-1- -,
N Hamp 8.97 10 897 1.109 110900 0.90 N Hamp 24 46208 375 2957 33.814 399 351978
N Jers 7.42 21 353 7.730 368095 0.27 N Jers 40 193250 80 96625 1.035 120 1.552
N Mex 121.37 33 3678 1.515 45909 2.18, N Mex 42 36071 70 21643 4.620 12 7.393
N York 47.22 62 762 17.990 290161 0.34 N York 61 294918 150 119933 0.834 211 1.173
No Caro 48.72 100 487 6.630 66300 1.51 No Caro 50 132600 120 55250 1.810 170 2.564
No Dak 69.00 53 1302 0.639 12057 8.29 No Dak 49 13041 98 6520 15.336 147 23.005
Ohio 40.95 88 465 10.847 123261 0.81 Ohio 33 328697 99 109566 0.913 132 1.217
Okla 68.68 77 892 3.146 40857 2.45 Okla 48 65542 101 31149 3.210 149 4.736
Oreg 96.00 36 2667 2.842 78944 1.27 Oreg 30 94733 60 47367 2.111 90 3.167
Penns 44.82 67 669 11.882 177343 0.56 Penns 50 237640 203 58532 1.708 253 2.129
Rhode Is 1.05 5 209 1.003 200600 0.50 Rhode Is_ 50 20060 100 10030 9.970 150 14.955
So Caro 30.11 46 655 3.487 75804 1.32 So Caro 46 75804 124 28121 3.556 170 4.875
So Dak' 75.90 67 1133 0.696 10388 9.63 So Dak' 35 19886 70 9943 10.057 105 15.086
Tenn 41.22 95 434 4.877 51337 1.95 Tenn 33 147788 99 49263 2.030 132 2.707
Texas 261.90 254 1031 16.987 66878 1.50 Texas 31 547968 150 113247 0.883 181 1.066
Utah 82.17 29 2833 1.723 59414 1.68 Utah 29 59414 75 22973 4.353 104 6.036
Verm 9.25 14 661 0.563 40214 2.49 Verm 30 18767 150 3753 26.643 180 31.972
Viirg 39.60 95 417 6.187 65126 1.54 Virg 40 154675 100 61870 1.616 140 2.263
Wash 66.58 39 1707 4.867 124795 0.80 Wash 49 99327 98 49663 2.014 147. 3.020
W Virg 24.09 55 438 1.793 32600 3.07 W Virg 34 52735 100 17930 5.577 134 7.474
Wisc 54.31 72 754 4.892 67944 1.47 Wisc 33 148242 99 49414 2.024 132 2.698
Wyom 97.11 23 4222 0.454 19739 5.07 Wyom 30 15133 • 60 7567 13.216 90 19.824
Average 70.76 62 2256 4.962 112407 1.24 Average 39 124661 109 46913 2.202 149 2.998
Average excluding Alaska(99% Fed) ' TOTAL# St Sen St Asm St Sen+St Asm
60.56 63 1332 5.052 113766 2.14 ' allstates 1934 5464 7398
Total population 50 states 199( 248.1
Dist Colu . 0.07 1 68 0.607 We see here California NOW has the least amount of elected representation of
'Hawaii +1 "independent city" the 50 states BOTH at the state level AND at the county, local govt level: Fewest
'Missouri +1 "independent city" assemblymen/100,000 residents-< 0.3;fewest county govts/100,000-< 0.2.
'Nevada +1 "independent city" Compared to NY(#49) by popul, Calif would have 248 assemblymen (plus sen)
'So Dak +4 "independent cities" & 103 county govts. N Hamp-375 asmbly. Georgia-159 counties,Texas-254 cos.
'Virginia +41 "independent cities" Data: "Information Please" Almanac, Houghton Mifflin, NY & Boston, 1995.
Compiled by Franklin H Ernst Jr, P 0 Box 3009, Vallejo, Calif 94590 2/4/96