Just two years ago, nearly 5 million voters chose to steer the state of California on a path of reform by recalling Gov. Gray Davis. The same special interests that wanted to keep us on a path toward financial and political disaster continue to fight these reforms at every step. Now is the time for Californians to stand up for reform and solve major problems that exist within the state. Let’s review these problems and how they are solved through the current ballot initiatives.

Problem: Voters do not actually choose their representatives. Legislators have hijacked a system for drawing legislative districts and gerrymandered them in ways to protect their own interests, assigning districts by party. Groups of legislators have spent up to $2 million on consultants to help draw the most favorable districts for themselves.

Solution: Proposition 77, the Voter Empowerment Act, would place the process of drawing legislative districts into the hands of bipartisan, impartial retired judges. They would be required to draw districts that are as compact as possible, and do not divide cities and counties unless necessary

This initiative is not about giving more power to either Democrats or Republicans. It’s about making elected officials more accountable to voters. Studies show that a fair system of redistricting will not change the balance of power in Sacramento or Washington.

Problem: California’s budget is out of control. We are facing an ongoing budget crisis because the Legislature caters to the special interests that fund their campaigns. In only six years, state spending increased 44 percent from $75 billion to $108 billion. The Legislature did this even though there was no increased revenue to provide for the increased spending.

Solution: Proposition 76, the Live Within Our Means Act, would force the Legislature to live by the same basic rule that we live by: Don’t spend more money than you bring in. It would force the Legislature to focus on funding priorities based on what is best for the state.

Prop. 76 will, for the first time, keep lawmakers from raiding dedicated funds for health and social service programs. It will stabilize education funding to make sure it is protected against big cuts in bad economic times. It protects public safety programs as well. This would mean more funding for the important spending of the state, including education, health and social service programs that are so important to our community.

It places appropriate limits on budget growth by keeping increases to average growth over the past three fiscal years. It prevents new program funding when there is not increased income to support it. Overall, this measure is a good way to protect the important programs of the state from funding problems.

Problem: Special interest groups and unions take a large amount of their member’s money and use it for unrelated political campaigning. The amount of money spent often creates a burden on the political system that only favors the special interest groups and not the citizens of California as a whole. One union has placed a special assessment of $60 million on their members and went into debt another $60 million in order to block reforms.

Solution: Proposition 75, the Paycheck Protection Act, would simply require that workers give permission for money coming out of their paychecks to be used for political purposes. It helps make organizations more accountable to their members. It also would help gay and lesbian causes by keeping special interests from being an overbearing presence in Sacramento, allowing our voices to be heard.

Problem: California has one of the best-funded education systems in the world, yet it continues to perform poorly even by national standards. Teachers are not held accountable for their performance. Tenured teachers can’t even be fired for using homophobic language or discriminating against gay teens. Teachers can receive guaranteed lifetime employment after only two years on the job.

Solution: Proposition 74, Put the Kids First Act, would require satisfactory reviews for five consecutive years before teachers are guaranteed lifetime employment. It would allow principals and administrators to consider the needs of students in providing tenure to teachers. It is the one reform in our schools that would require voter approval.

Propositions 78, 79 and 80 do not provide significant reform for Californians. None of the measures go to the heart of the problems concerning prescription drugs or utilities.

Log Cabin Republicans remains neutral on issues of abortion and thus has taken no stance on Prop. 73.