'Crazy Political Environment' Puts Plan For 3 Californias On Ballot

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The proposal to break California into three separate states has received enough signatures to be placed on the November ballot.

According to the proposal backed by billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper, the state would be cut into Northern California, California, and Southern California. Each would have roughly 13 million people.

"It makes no sense how it's carved up this time," said Steve Maviglio, a spokesperson for the organized opposition to the plan.

"It's going to cause political chaos," said Maviglio, "it's a major destruction from the real issues facing our state."

"Anybody who studies this for 30 seconds will know what a silly idea it is," continued Maviglio.

He says the proposal, which garnered more than 400,000 signatures and will be on the November ballot, has never been studied or examined. He says dividing state parks and the education system would be costly and a logistical nightmare.

"This is a crazy political environment. Anything can happen," said Maviglio.

The idea of splitting up the state isn't anything new. Since 1850, the effort has been tried about 200 times. All of those efforts have failed.

"Awesome, Cal 3 right," said Tim Draper.

The lack of success for the previous efforts to split California hasn't kept Bay area venture capitalist Tim Draper from trying.

"You get this amazing opportunity to start rethinking all the things that are going wrong now," said Draper.

He's made several attempts at breaking apart the state. He says California is too big to be adequately governed. He says low national ratings in education and taxes are reasons to split.

"We don't have any other states that are going to be the model for the future," said Draper.

In the history of the U.S., there have been four state splits. The most recent in the 1860's when West Virginia split from Virginia.

According to the Legislative Analyst's Office, there is no precedent for the people deciding the fate of a state. In the previous four cases, an elected body gave consent for a split.

The LAO says the proposal would likely face legal challenges if approved by voters. Congress would also have to approve a state's decision to split apart.