It's no secret that California's government is badly broken.

I support a constitutional convention to allow the renewal necessary to make the next 10 years better than the last 10. But regardless of whether voters support a 2011 convention through their votes in the 2010 elections, I will be looking to end the stalemate caused by the 2/3 budgetary vote requirement and the many antidemocratic provisions of the current California Constitution.

The recent maneuver by the Assembly to erase a public vote on offshore oil drilling is another example of how power is abused by Sacramento politicians. Accountability is the root of all good government, and the attempt to hide this vote to protect special interests is unconscionable.

Government information should be open and accessible to all Californians, and government data that is truly public and does not compromise individual privacy should be available widely so that individuals and businesses can put their creative thoughts into how that data can be shaped and analyzed to generate intelligence about our government and our State. As Attorney General, I will make state data available and searchable online in order to ensure accountability and allow creative minds to determine how that data might be used, and I will adamantly oppose any effort of other public officials to hide from their conduct in office. Read my full plan to bring innovation to California's public safety systems.

In addition to changing our Constitution and state policies with regard to data, we need to enforce and strengthen the Brown Act that protects open meetings. As Attorney General, I'll make sure that our legislative enforcement priorities reflect the value of open government.