The Argument For Keeping California One State

Earlier this week, we heard about a proposal to split California into six states. The question could be on a state ballot in 2016, if officials approve the over 1 million signatures submitted by the group Six Californias.

Today, Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson heard from Steven Maviglio, co-founder of OneCalifornia, about why his group opposes the ballot initiative to split California into six states.

"There are challenges the state faces — education, pensions. We've got problems, and so does every other state in the union," Maviglio explained. "This, unfortunately, doesn't address any of those issues. it's just an idea by someone who has a lot of money to put on the ballot."

He also pointed to the potential negative consequences of the plan, such as a lack of access to an in-state university in Jefferson and the economic interdependence of the Central Valley and the rest of the state.

Silicon Valley entrepreneur Timothy Draper is behind the "Six Californias" proposal. Hear our interview on Monday with him here.

On why Draper's issues with government representation are unfounded

"If you have problems with government, the size of it is not going to make a difference."

"I was listening to Mr. Draper talk about how great the state was 40 years ago. The last time I checked, we're pretty much the same size adding a few more million people, so it's not a function of the size. We [now] fortunately have a governor who is actually addressing some of the concerns he's talking about."

On why the measure won't (and shouldn't) pass

If there was a tax on political stupidity, this probably would balance the national debt. I mean, it's going nowhere: It's gonna lose at the polls, it's not ever gonna pass Congress. But what it's doing though is actually damaging the California brand. When you hear Tim Draper talk about his measure, he starts off with a five-minute riff about how bad California is — that doesn't create jobs, that doesn't get people to move here, that doesn't increase economic activity. It tears the state down."

"This somehow could create less bureaucracy rather than more? I can't fathom that, because having 600 more politicians ... that's gonna be a massive bureaucracy and a trillion dollar cost to it."

On why he co-founded OneCalifornia

"For many months people just laughed this off and said 'It's silly.' But now it's gonna be on the ballot. Now it's actually damaging our state's credibility. So we have formed a group to oppose it because we want to raise the questions about what it really means. How it's gonna impact everything from our state parks to our energy system, our water system. Things where the state is together and has state plans — our pension system. We want to raise questions about the costs and the actual practicality of it. It's nice to try to blow up the state, but you should really have a plan once you do that, what's going to happen."