Investor puts up money to split California into six states

SACRAMENTO -- A Silicon Valley investor’s bid to split California into six states is considered a long shot at best, but that hasn’t stopped him from pumping $750,000 of his own money into the effort to place the proposal on the ballot.

The investor, Republican Tim Draper, needs to collect more than 800,000 signatures by July 18 to qualify the initiative.

If passed by voters, it would also need to be approved by Congress.

The initiative would create two new states in Northern California, another centered on Silicon Valley and San Francisco, a fourth in the Central Valley, and two more in the south.

“Something is not working in our state, and I’m convinced it’s with our existing system. It’s untenable and ungovernable,” Draper said in December when announcing his campaign.

He’s no stranger to spending big on political efforts. He dropped $20 million on a failed attempt to create a school voucher program in 2000.

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Twitter: @chrismegerian