During a debate in the California State Assembly, Republican State Rep. David Tangipa spoke in opposition to California democrats' proposal to pass a ballot measure which would allow Californians to vote on new congressional map.
00:09This measure before us is neither bold nor principled.
00:14It is, in plain terms, a blatant attack on the most transparent process our state has ever had for drawing congressional districts.
00:23It undermines what has become the gold standard for the nation, the Independent Citizens' Redistricting Commission.
00:30The commission was created to restore fairness, to ensure representation in California is not based on which party controls the government,
00:39but on principles of independence, transparency, and community.
00:44And it worked.
00:45Californians can look at their districts today, and they know that they were not manipulated for partisan advantage
00:52and now, in just four days, with two rushed committee hearings and almost no opportunity for real public comment,
01:01we are on the verge of throwing all of that away.
01:05Let me remind this body, during committee hearings, one of our colleagues brazenly admitted
01:11that this entire thing was about partisan gerrymandering.
01:17Admitted.
01:19Partisan politics.
01:20This was a direct response to the question about protecting voters and underserved communities.
01:28Not a word about fairness.
01:29Not a word about transparency.
01:31An open admission to partisan gain.
01:35So how can we stand in this chamber and criticize Texas, Florida, or other states for gerrymandering
01:41when we've joined them in the same practice?
01:43How can we demand fairness in the courts or before Congress
01:47when we're willing to sacrifice it here at home?
01:50We have lost all credibility.
01:53Let's not forget, this is not free.
01:57We are wasting money and resources on an election that is unnecessary and unwanted.
02:02Every dollar spent on this political stunt is a dollar not spent on addressing the cost of living crisis or wildfires,
02:10not spending on improving our schools, not spent on keeping our communities safe,
02:14and not spent on expanding health care access.
02:18Because Californians never asked for this election, what they did ask for was to fully fund Prop 36,
02:24which this legislature failed to do.
02:26What they asked for was for us not to ration Medi-Cal, because Californians and families are dying.
02:35Dying.
02:36We were told at the start of this session that our priority was addressing cost of living.
02:43Yet I haven't seen any bills rushed through four days to lower utility rates, to make housing more affordable,
02:50to bring down our food prices.
02:52But when it comes to the bills that serve political ambition, suddenly four days is plenty of time.
02:58Suddenly co-authoring bills, without even reading them, is no problem.
03:03This isn't just bad policy.
03:05It flies in the face of established fact.
03:08Study after study shows gerrymandering reduces federal dollars coming to our communities,
03:14depresses voter turnouts, disenfranchises us, and even leads to lower wages.
03:20None of that helps Californians who are already stretching every single penny thin.
03:26None of it helps.
03:28To cover rent, grocery, gas.
03:31None of that helps the families that are deciding whether to pay for medicine,
03:34or if they can afford their utility rates, or if they can make an insurance payment,
03:38or if they can afford to even buy a house for the next generation.
03:42None of it.
03:46These facts again highlight my concerns with our spending problem and leveraging the future.
03:53$10 billion to $30 billion structural deficit is what we were told with the LAO and the Department of Finance that is year over year all the way to 2028.
04:04If we don't stop this reckless spending on measures like this, we're going to drain what's left of our rainy day fund,
04:11and we're going to have to make significant cuts for Californians, and you are saying for partisan gain it is worth it for families that are dying.
04:19Now, to me, the message from the majority party is clear.
04:23Principles and independence only matter when it's politically convenient, and Californians can do worse better?
04:2930 seconds.
04:30The level of Trump derangement syndrome in this party is debilitating our ability to govern properly.
04:39It is being claimed that the reason for this bill is to combat authoritarianism before redistricting, before the big beautiful bill, before any cuts were implemented.
04:47It was this legislature that stripped the minority of the committees because they spoke out in opposition.
04:52It was this legislature that restricted our time.
04:54The real authoritarian problem is in the mirror.
04:57The what about them can go forever.
04:59Thank you, Assemblymember Taipa.
05:00It's been noise and everywhere else.
05:02Thank you, Assemblymember Taipa.
05:03But it's unfortunate that the youngest member of this committee might be...
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