Proposal for California could change nation
But does it make sense to split neighboring state into three?
An initiative in California could potentially add two states to the United States, without adding any land mass or people.
California voters will have to decide in November on “Cal-3,” which would split the state into three. The initiative qualified for the California ballot earlier this month after election officials ruled it had enough valid signatures to move forward.
The initiative would create three states out of what is currently California:
• Northern California would include 40 counties and approximately 13.3 million people, stretching from the top of the state to south of San Jose.
• California would consist of six counties with approximately 12.3 million people, encompassing Salinas to Los Angeles.
• Southern California would include the rest of the state to the Mexican border, with 12 counties and 12.3 million people.
The initiative, sponsored by Californian Tim Draper, says that the state, as it currently stands, faces challenges.
“Political representation of California’s diverse population and economies has rendered the state nearly ungovernable. Additionally, vast parts of California are poorly served by a representative government dominated by a large number of elected representatives from a small part of our state, both geographically and economically,” the initiative states.
The measure would have tremendous impact on the state itself, dividing up resources and tax bases.
It would also create more bureaucracy, as each new state would require its own form of government, duties that are currently handled by one.
California, which was admitted to the Union in 1850, is a big state, encompassing 155,959 square miles of land and 7,734 square miles of water, for a total of 163,693 miles, according to the World Atlas.
There could be value for three separate state governments, as each region faces its own specific set of challenges. However, the state has also managed to succeed, despite its size, for the last 168 years. Is the initiative really necessary?
So far, the initiative has gathered enough signatures to secure a place on the ballot, but it remains to be seen if it will be successful, but it seems like a long shot.
First, it would have to be passed by California voters, then Congress would have to approve it, followed by the president of the United States.
But imagine a landscape where the United States is comprised of 52 states instead of just 50? It would change Washington, adding four new senators. The Associated Press reports it could slightly change the number of representatives in the U.S. House as well, based on each state’s population breakdown. Three separate Californias could also “shake up the Electoral College, which picks the president,” AP notes.
What do you think, readers? Does it make sense to carve up our neighbor to the west, or should California remain a single state? Let us know. Share your thoughts online at www.YumaSun.com, or send in a Letter to the Editor at letters@yumasun.com.