The Power of Deliberative Polling - Discussion and Screening

12/28/11 by What's Next California

Deliberative Polling offers deep insights and a capacity to inform and engage citizens that is truly unique in today's public square. Join SPUR - the San Francisco Planning + Urban Research Association - for a discussion on how deliberative polling continues to inform California's most important reform efforts. The event, to be held January 3 in San Francisco, will include a screening of the PBS Newshour documentary of this summer's groundbreaking event, What's Next California?

What's Next California? — the first state-wide deliberative poll in California — was conducted in 2011 and covered four basic areas: the initiative process, the Legislature, state/local relations and tax/fiscal issues. Thirty proposals were deliberated by a statewide scientific sample of 412 participants. Their conclusions offered many surprises. A panel of three key organizers of the project — James Fishkin of the Center for Deliberative Democracy at Stanford University, Zabrae Valentine of California Forward and Lenny Mendonca of McKinsey & Company — will discuss the project process and findings. The event will include a screening of the PBS NewsHour-produced documentary about the project, narrated by Judy Woodruff.

To learn more and RSVP, click here.

State-Local Reform

Local governments – counties, cities, and "special districts" such as school districts – provide many of the services that we use on a daily basis, from schools and police protection to the water in our faucets and the collection of our trash. Californians expect local governments to produce high-quality services, as cost-effectively as possible. Read More

Taxation & Fiscal Policy

The way state and local governments collect public revenue for public services has come under increased scrutiny during our state’s recent fiscal crisis, as has the question of what California can afford. The tradeoff between funding for essential services and their inevitable pocketbook implications makes tax policy a constant cause of controversy. Read More

Initiative Process

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the creation of California’s initiative process, a system designed to put lawmaking power in the hands of the people. The initiative allows voters, often acting in organized groups, to collect signatures in order to put a new law or a change to the state constitution before their fellow voters on the ballot. Read More

Representation

With one Assembly member for every 467,000 residents and one state Senator for every 934,000 residents, our legislative districts are nearly ten times the national average. When assemblymembers represent nearly half a million residents and travel long distances across their districts, direct interactions with constituents are scarce. Read More

The Power of Deliberative Polling - Discussion and Screening

Comments

State-Local Reform

Taxation & Fiscal Policy

Initiative Process

Representation

What's NextCA

The Power of Deliberative Polling - Discussion and Screening

Comments

State-Local Reform

Taxation & Fiscal Policy

Initiative Process

Representation

Tags

What's NextCA