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Cash woes hit bid to rewrite California Constitution - USA - California - law

Cash woes hit bid to rewrite California Constitution

Backers of a campaign to overhaul California's Constitution have suspended their efforts because of a lack of money. The campaign was working to put two measures on the November ballot to call for a constitutional convention as unrest about the state government and the overall direction of California deepens amongst voters. However, money pledged to the campaign by businesses and others never came through, according to the people backing the effort.

Wyatt Buchanan | San Francisco Chronicle | Published: 02/13/2010 10:24

"I'm very sad we have to call it quits because of the financial situation," said Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, a business consortium that started the convention effort.

Despite support from a wide variety of good-government organizations, political leaders and others in the state, the campaign has raised only about $1 million and gathered 100,000 signatures. More than 1 million valid signatures would be needed to put the initiatives on the ballot.

Campaign officials said they would need at least $3.5 million for a successful signature-gathering effort, plus millions more for the actual campaign. They blamed the tough economy and people focusing charitable efforts on Haiti for the lack of donations to their effort.

Wunderman said if somebody came through with money to bankroll the effort they would revive the campaign.

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