The Aftermath of Redistricting Reform in California

In 2009, Matthew Jarvis and I offered differing opinions in this journal about the potential effects of redistricting reform on California’s budgetary process. Jarvis suggested redistricting reform could help the process by either reducing legislative polarization, or giving Democrats the supermajority necessary to pass their budget without partisan gridlock. I argued the best approach would be to eliminate supermajority requirements for fiscal policy. Now that the new district lines have been released under the process created by Proposition 11, we revisit our arguments. I expect California’s legislature to remain polarized. While a two-thirds Democratic supermajority is possible, it is not probable, and legislative dysfunction will likely remain.