Personally, I don’t think that we should redistrict until 2010 census data is released.  But some sort of redistring reform is going to happen:

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Despite voters’ rejection of Proposition 77, the Legislature’s top leaders are promising to try to get a new plan on the ballot as early as next June that would strip lawmakers of the powerful job of drawing legislative and congressional districts.

“I’m more than open to a redistricting effort which takes the power to draw boundaries from the Legislature and gives it to a truly independent group,” Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, said Wednesday.

He wouldn’t discuss details but said a fresh proposal would be unveiled shortly.

Well, nothing in there as to an actual plan, but Arnold’s team already gets snippy about it:

“We hope he’s sincere about it,” said Rob Stutzman, a spokesman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “We hope it doesn’t include him maintaining control over how districts are drawn.”

I guess what really disappoints me about this crap is the tone.  I thought the Gov was going to try to be more contrite, and not try to bully people anymore. (That is kinda mandatory now as he realizes that he can’t run to the voters everytime he’s disappointed with the legislatures).  But the rehtoric is still there I suppose.  Some things never die.

However, there does seem to be one plan that is actually on the table.  

That measure could be a constitutional amendment by state Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, that’s awaiting a vote next year in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

In its current form, it would create a seven-member commission to draw new districts after each census, starting in 2010. The governor, the Legislature’s top four leaders, the California Judicial Council and University of California president would each appoint one commission member.

It passed the Senate elections committee in July but then stalled when Democrats and Schwarzenegger couldn’t work out compromises on redistricting and the other ballot measures pushed by the Republican governor.

If approved by lawmakers, it would go on the ballot next June or November.

Any deal on a redistricting measure could include an agreement that would liberalize lawmakers’ term limits, which now allow senators to serve no more than 8 years, and Assembly members no more than 6 years.

Now, I’m not sure about this plan.  It does seem a little strange.  The Prez of Cal?  Why not Cal State? Or the Secretary of State? Or the Insurance Commissioner.  All in all though, I think it is a reasonable plan.  

My problem with it is the term limits that they want to loosen.  Now, I’m actually for a loosening  in term limits.  I think it creates an atmosphere where taking a stand is more valued than compromise to get things done.  It doesn’t allow the maturation of legislators into legislative leaders. But, what do term limits have to do with redistricting?  In order for a redistricting measure to pass, it needs to be simple.  I don’t know if somebody wants to sink redistricting by adding term limit reform, but that would be my hunch.

I’ll have to look at Lowenthal’s plan in more detail, but it sounds promising.