The billionaire behind the initiative says splitting up California will provide a much-needed “refresh” for the region. But the plan faces both skepticism and opposition.
AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File
Organizers of Six Californias have gathered 1.3 million signatures — far more than the minimum 808,000 they needed — to bring their cause to the voters, spokesman Roger Salazer told BuzzFeed. The signatures were turned in to county offices across the state Tuesday. Salazer said officials now have to verify the signatures, after which the initiative will go on the ballot for the next state-wide election. The deadline for 2014 has already passed, so the plan to split up California will likely reach votes in November 2016, Salazer said.
The plan is the brainchild of billionaire Timothy Draper, who founded a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm.
Draper spoke to BuzzFeed Tuesday and said splitting up California will provide a much-needed "refresh" for a region that has become mired in outdated technology, poor schools, an overburdened justice system and an array of other problems. "It seems to be ungovernable right now," he said, adding that even good leaders over the past 40 years have been unable to stop California's steady decline.
Draper and Salazer both said that splitting up the state would create governments that were more responsive to local needs. They also believe a group of smaller states would bolster innovation and make the entire region — including parts that are currently struggling economically — more competitive.
Reuters / Brendan McDermid
Organizers have drawn up what six separate Californias might look like.
On the Six Californias website, the proposed states have been named: Jefferson in the north (blue); North California in the center (purple); Silicon Valley in the Bay Area (yellow); West California in the Los Angeles area (green); Central California in the center (red); and South California at the southern tip (orange). Counties would theoretically be able to vote to join a different state for a year after the election. Salazer also said the campaign is working on project called "Create Your State" that will encourage Californians to weigh in on the process.
Organizers also believe that if the initiative eventually succeeded, the resulting states would be able to "take the best of the current system and improve on the parts that don’t work well."
sixcalifornias.com / Six Californias
from BuzzFeed - Breaking http://ift.tt/1oGlong
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