Representatives of two counties in far Northern California petitioned state officials Thursday for the right to form a 51st state called Jefferson, formally asking state lawmakers to vote on their proposal. Modoc and Siskiyou counties, which share a border with Oregon and have a combined population of about 53,000, submitted petitions from their county governments to the secretaries of the state Assembly and Senate after filing a petition complaining about a lack of representation to the secretary of state. Organizer Mark Baird told a crowd of about 70 supporters at a rally outside the state Capitol that residents of as many as 10 counties “would be free to create a small state with limited government.” “We don’t need government from a state telling people in a county what to do with their resources and their children’s education. You are better equipped to educate your children than the state or federal government,” Baird said to applause.
Six counties have so far approved plans to pursue secession, either through elected officials or at the ballot box, and supporters plan to submit more petitions in the coming months. Voters in two counties considered the idea in the June primary, with Tehama voters approving secession and Del Norte voters rejecting it.
On Thursday, supporters waved flags and wore T-shirts bearing the movement’s logo: two X’s and a coiled snake that said “State of Jefferson. Don’t tread on me.”
Later, a group of about 10 of them pushed past the dozens of lobbyists lining the halls of the Capitol for the final week of legislative session to deliver their petitions to the clerks’ offices, where staff members were slightly confused. “We fully expect to be ignored,” Baird said.
Full Article: 2 California counties ask to form a separate state | Politics – KCRA Home.