Proposal to split California into three states gets approved for statewide ballot in November
A proposal to divide California into three different states was approved on Tuesday to appear on the statewide ballot scheduled to be held in November's general election, according to reports.
The initiative will be certified as qualified for the November 6th ballot on June 28 by California Secretary of State Alex Padilla.
The vote to be cast by Californian residents about the future of the state, which is subject to approval by US Congress, could separate California into three states: California, Northern California and Southern California.
Reports state that the initiative to break up California was started by venture capitalist Tim Draper. His campaign, called "Cal 3" has reportedly received over 401,468 valid signatures. The signs have crossed the minimum amount required by the state law, according to CNN.
The venture capitalist said that breaking California into three separate states would allow the regional communities to make better decisions for their citizens to address the most pressing issues pertaining to their areas, like high taxes, school systems and deteriorating infrastructure.
Citizens for Cal 3 campaign spokesperson, Peddy Grande, released a statement on Tuesday, saying: "The reality is that for an overmatched, overstretched and overwrought state-government structure, it is too big to succeed. Californians deserve a better future."
Justifying their proposal to divide the state into parts, the Cal 3 campaign on its website stated: "It will simply divide the state into smaller, more manageable populations. Think of North Carolina and South Carolina; North Dakota and South Dakota; West Virginia and Virginia -- California is already known for its Northern and Southern identities."
Despite the significant amount of traction the proposal is receiving, there are multiple critics in the state who are opposed to the idea and say that breaking up California would cost billions of dollars to the taxpayers.
The proposal states that if it gets a final approval then each state would have nearly 12.3 million to 13.9 million residents.
According to the proposal, the first state California would include six counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey and San Benito counties.
While Southern California would include 12 counties: San Diego, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, Mono, Madera, Inyo, Tulare, Fresno, Kings, Kern and Imperial counties. And Northern California would include 40 counties which would include the Sa Fransico Bay Area and the rest of the counties north of Sacramento.
Talking about the possibility of a segregation, Constitutional lawyer and professor Jonathan Turley, while talking to CNN, said that although it wouldn't be wise to rule out a congressional approval of the proposal, the proposal would likely not be approved considering the ruling Democrats who view the state of California as a one single golden empire.
"Dems consider California to be a single golden empire, it would be hard for them to accept it as three golden empires," Turley said.
