SACRAMENTO - Voters are unlikely to punish lawmakers for the budget delay in any substantive way on Nov. 4  unless it's to pass a ballot measure that would change how political districts are drawn, said state Sen. Mark Wyland (R-Carlsbad).

"My experience with voters is that they really don't care how long it takes to get a budget," Wyland said, following his participation in a panel discussion at an event on reforming state government.

According to Wyland, prolonged budget stalemates like this year's sometimes encourage voters to keep their incumbents. Because districts are usually heavily skewed in registration to one party or another, he said, sitting legislators are more likely to hear encouragement for their party's ideological position than disfavor.

And voting against the party - in Wyland's example, for tax raises or to reinstate the unpopular vehicle-license fee - is an invitation to face a primary challenge in the next election cycle, he said.

Backers of Proposition 11 believe the measure would draw more moderate districts that would elect more open-to-compromise politicians.

Wyland said he believes 2009, when more government reforms are expected to make a special election ballot, is poised to be a watershed year for how the state operates.

If proposals favored by Democrats, such as abolishing the two-thirds majority for budget passage and raising taxes on wealthy state residents gain approval, then the state budget process can go in a new direction. Alternatively, if voters reject those methods, the budget process could be much like this year's, but with a clearer idea of what voters want, he said.

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