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Nose Under the Community Tent

By Paul Losch

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About this blog: I was a "corporate brat" growing up and lived in different parts of the country, ending in Houston, Texas for high school. After attending college at UC Davis, and getting an MBA at Harvard, I embarked on a marketing career, mai...  (More)

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Divide the State of California

Uploaded: Jul 2, 2012
There is the north, there is the south, and there is the central valley.

What made sense some years ago about a state that consists of such disparate places should be called into question at this time.

IMHO the state of California has gotten past the point of being merely dysfunctional.

I make the modest proposal that the state get divided into three states that can reflect better the views of the people they represent, and not have to deal with other parts of the state, where constituents may have another point of view.

Status quo has not worked for years. J. Brown and Prop 13 got it started, and the California train has been wobbling off the rails for some time.

I take a view that is common in business. There are times when something leads to a reorganization of a company in order to be more effective in how it serves its customers.

I have spent some time in local volunteer government service, and I have an appreciation for how it has challenges that are different than what commercial companies face. That said...

Bottom Line? My assertion is that California is too big and needs to be re-organized. 3 States.

Comments

 +  Like this comment
Posted by Farm State, a resident of ,
on Jul 2, 2012 at 12:26 pm

No dividing the state. There would be one two great states and one lesser state that would depend on the usual 'red-state-welfare' that all the small red flyovers depend on from the Federal Government.

Of course, it would be easier to suggest to certain posters that they have a new home close at hand....

;-)

Keep California whole -- the great blue state in America.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by never happen, a resident of ,
on Jul 2, 2012 at 6:31 pm

Dividing California will never happen if it comes to popular vote. Both Southern California and Central California need North California's water. Southern California has enough votes to not let the measure pass.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by never, a resident of ,
on Jul 2, 2012 at 7:52 pm

People have been talking about splitting California into 2 or more pieces ever since California became a state. None of these proposals have ever gotten support from more than a few percent of our residents and I see even less reason to split now than 100 years ago.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by Outside Observer, a resident of ,
on Jul 2, 2012 at 8:33 pm

Better idea:

Give the whole state back to Mexico.

They are going to get it eventually anyway. Might as well do it under mutually agreeable terms now.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by annoyed, a resident of ,
on Jul 2, 2012 at 8:41 pm

Outside observer.......really ???


 +  Like this comment
Posted by Crescent Park Dad, a resident of ,
on Jul 2, 2012 at 9:36 pm

Essentially almost all of the NorCal Counties & Cities/Towns outside of the Bay Area are hurting for tax revenue. They rely upon the wealthier counties' tax money to help balance their budgets.

Divide up the state and counties such as Shasta, Modoc, Trinity, Glen --- they would all default without funds coming in from the Bay Area, LA, OrCo and SD regions. Especially the school districts up there.

Not a good idea if you have the greater good in mind.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by Seems to me, a resident of ,
on Jul 3, 2012 at 10:29 am

Hetch hetchy would go with central California. We take our water from others too.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by Hetch sc, a resident of ,
on Jul 3, 2012 at 10:44 am

"Hetch hetchy would go with central California."

Hetch Hetchy is Dept of interior land, would not belong to 'East Cal', and under various acts of Congress, the water goes to SF, and the Peninsula.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by Seems to me, a resident of ,
on Jul 3, 2012 at 11:32 am

I get that. The were just comments about where LA gets its water and SF area gets it from elsewhere as well. I would not expect that to end even with a state split up. Just tired of the "they steal our water crowd" when in actuality SF has no local water that it uses. It is piped in from elsewhere.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by Nora Charles, a resident of ,
on Jul 3, 2012 at 6:19 pm

Funny, I was thinking about this recently. Your idea of THREE states is especially intriguing. It's time, I agree, as the state's problems are truly dire.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by palo alto mom, a resident of ,
on Jul 5, 2012 at 2:53 pm

Interesting idea - how about the coastal cities vs. the non-coastal cities.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by Farm State, a resident of ,
on Jul 5, 2012 at 3:11 pm

Divide into 3 states -- North South Inland.

Picks up 2 more Democratic Senators, maybe 3 if we can sell a blue dog to Inland.

Works for me.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by John, a resident of ,
on Jul 5, 2012 at 3:24 pm

If California divides, other states will demand the same thing. For example, Alaska could divide by 10, with about 19 Republican Senators.

Paul Losch is shooting blanks on this one. Amusing, though!


 +  Like this comment
Posted by Farm State, a resident of ,
on Jul 5, 2012 at 3:34 pm

Of course it's idle amusement. As amusing as it would be to have the ten Alaska states fight over which ones get the oil fields, and the end of oil company sponsored socialism with every resident getting a check.

Speaking of Alaska, local write Michael Chabon's fun followup to the great 'Amazing Adventures of Kavelier and Clay' was 'The Yiddish Policeman's Union', set in Alaska, with a twist. Ad no, it ain't about public safety worker unions!

Good summer read.


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