Photo credit: NewCaliforniaState.com

The founders of the state of New California read their own version of a Declaration of Independence and took the first steps to what they hope will eventually lead to a successful secession.

They are adamant that they are not seeking to leave the United States, only California. The founder of the movement is Robert Paul Preston. "Well, it’s been ungovernable for a long time. High taxes, education, you name it, and we’re rated around 48th or 50th from a business climate and standpoint in California," Preston said.

The proposed secession would include most of the state's rural counties but would leave the urban coastal counties to the old state of California. "There’s something wrong when you have a rural county such as this one, and you go down to Orange County which is mostly urban, and it has the same set of problems, and it happens because of how the state is being governed and taxed," Preston explained.

Preston says the difference between his movement and previous ones looking to separate is that the state of New California wants to do everything by the book. He cited Article 4, Section 3 of the US Constitution and how the movement is working with the state legislature to get it done much like West Virginia did.

"Yes. We have to demonstrate that we can govern ourselves before we are allowed to govern," said another of the movement's founders, Tom Reed. Despite the many obstacles in their path, the group is united in their dream of statehood.

The movement has organized its own committees and a council of county representatives. They expect to be ready to fully engage with the state legislature in around 10 to 18 months.

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Source: http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2018/01/15/new-california-declares-independence-from-rest-of-state/