Connerly Recognizes Possible Defeat of Proposition 54
Feature Story by Ritu Kelotra - 9/8/2003
Proposition 54 sponsor Ward Connerly admitted that defeat of the ballot initiative is possible, after saying that his camp cannot match a $3.8 million contribution to thwart the measure.On Sunday, The Los Angeles Times reported that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cruz Bustamante intends to spend the money for ads that would feature himself denouncing the initiative.
After hearing this news, Connerly said, "I'm not throwing in the towel. But I've been around the block. There is no way we can match that."
If approved, Proposition 54, the so-called "Racial Privacy Initiative," would ban California from collecting racial data in all but a few exempted areas. The measure's data collection ban will damage the state's ability to address disparities by race or ethnicity in health care and disease patterns, educational resources and academic achievement, and hate crimes and discrimination.
It was further reported that Republican gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger told a Connerly aide that he opposes the initiative. Prior to that, Schwarzenegger had not confirmed his position on the measure, although speculation was building that he would speak out against it.
In August, Leadership Conference for Civil Rights Executive Director Wade Henderson wrote a letter to all California gubernatorial candidates, urging them to oppose Proposition 54. Since then, both top Democratic contenders, Gov. Gray Davis and Lt. Gov. Bustamante, and now the top Republican contender, Schwarzenegger, have all come out against the measure.
The fate of Proposition 54 will be decided on Oct. 7, 2003, when California voters also will decide whether to recall Gov. Gray Davis.
