‘Motor-Voter’ Implementation

* A Sept. 1 letter to The Times, critical of Gov. Pete Wilson’s decision to hold up implementation of the motor-voter law, completely misses the point. First of all, the legislation, mandated by the federal government, does not become effective until Jan. 1, 1995. The notion, therefore, that Wilson’s action was an act of “political self-preservation” is totally off-base.

Secondly, the state is not dodging the issue. The Department of Motor Vehicles is preparing, at a cost of $1.2 million, to be ready to implement the measure on Jan. 1, but a recent executive order signed by Gov. Wilson orders agencies to comply only if federal funds are forthcoming to pay for the implementation. This is just another example of the federal government acting with impunity to mandate the state to pay for services without providing the funds to do so.

The California Department of Finance estimates that the annual cost of implementing the motor-voter program in California could be as high as $35.8 million annually. Federal mandates are costing California billions of dollars every year, preventing Californians from setting their own budget priorities. The total cost of all federally mandated programs in California is expected to reach almost $7.7 billion in the current budget year. The most outrageous example is the federal requirement that states provide services to those who come here illegally. California is forced to spend $3.2 billion a year on services for illegal immigrants--an amount equal to nearly 10% of the state General Fund budget.

As California’s economy struggles to recover from a national recession, federal policies that cut defense spending and a series of unprecedented natural disasters, state taxpayers cannot continue to bear the increasing costs of federal mandates. Enough is enough!

DEAN R. DUNPHY, Secretary

California Business, Transportation and

Housing Agency

Sacramento

* Mark Petracca is correct in taking issue with Gov. Wilson’s announced decision to defy federal law by not implementing “motor-voter.” Federal law must prevail and, of course, it will.

One of the most important reasons for implementing “motor-voter” effectively in California is to help ensure that only eligible citizens register and vote. By moving voter registration off the streets and into governmental offices, many of the abuses we do see under the current system will be eliminated. For that reason alone the governor should champion rather than thwart “motor-voter.”

TONY MILLER

Acting Secretary of State

Sacramento