The secret redistricting initiative

The five-car pileup over drawing legislative and Congressional district lines could get more complicated with another initiative that has been written by political advisors close to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Right now, that secret initiative is on hold while Schwarzenegger and the Legislature consider the various plans for changing California's complicated redistricting process - something the governor says he wants done this year.

The initiative was crafted by prominent GOP attorney Tom Hiltachk, along with political consultant Rob Stutzman, the former communications director for Schwarzenegger, and initiative strategist Rick Claussen. All three have ties to the Republican governor, but the initiative was written independently of his office, sources said. In addition, prominent Democratic consultant Garry South advised on the plan.

Broadly, the new initiative would require the state's Fair Political Practices Commission to create a citizens commission that would draw legislative lines (one version excludes Congress, another includes federal districts.) The five-member commission would hire six other people to create an 11-member panel.

Those additional panelists would include one member from academia with experience in redistricting, one attorney with the same type of experience, and four city or county elections officials - two from high-density areas and two rural. The membership would have to be balanced between Republicans and Democrats.

The initiative has been circulating in the administration and among good-government groups.

If unleashed, it would join redistricting initiatives written by political watchdog Ted Costa, along with other "citizens commissions" being considered in the Legislature by Schwarzenegger, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, Senate leader Don Perata (pictured with Schwarzenegger), and Republicans. One, supported by Nunez, would shift redistricting to the Little Hoover Commission. It's all being closely watched by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who doesn't want the lines for Congressional members drawn by anyone other than Democratic leaders until a "national solution" is created.

The Fair Political Practices Commission has a fairly nonpartisan reputation, but is considered a weak enforcer of the state's campaign finance laws because it has been chronically underfunded. It's current membership includes chairman Ross Johnson, a former Republican lawmaker appointed by Schwarzenegger. His term ends Jan. 31, 2011 - before the redistricting process would begin in full. It would be difficult to find an elections attorney without some partisan affiliation, but perhaps Rick Hasen is available.

The Hiltachk-Stutzman-Claussen-South redistricting measure was designed in part to be a hammer that would force the Legislature to deal with redistricting. Some Republicans are worried that voters will be faced with only altering California's term limits law without making other major reforms. But they are holding their fire, sources said, because the administration first wants to work a compromise in the Legislature.

But it doesn't appear the FPPC option would make it to the February ballot - time is running out to collect signatures.

(Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/AP)