Remember when legislative leaders promised to put a redistricting reform measure on the November ballot? Well, they were just kidding. Today, they killed a compromise plan aimed at meeting a Friday deadline to put the proposal before voters. It would have linked redistricting reform to a change in term limits. Voters would have the final say on both issues.

But with the Legislature's latest action, it's no wonder that the public is so cynical about politics.

This is what the Democratic and Republican leaders said in a joint statement:

"There is no question about the need to reform the redistricting process and our current system of term limits in California. But given the tremendous impact any proposal crafted by the Legislature this year could have on politics and policymaking in our state, we feel it is the best course not to pursue a sweeping reform package in the waning hours of the legislative session. Make no mistake, our caution in crafting a reform package this year does not in any way diminish our determination to fix a broken system. We stand committed to revisiting redistricting and term limits reform in the next legislative session - to once and for all craft responsible, bipartisan political reforms for the people of California."

What they didn't tell you is the reason that this issue has come down to the "waning hours" of the session is because they dodged it all year. They are being dishonest about their motives.

Here are the people you can blame: Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland; Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles; Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman of Fullerton, and Assembly Republican Leader George Plescia of La Jolla. Of course, it was Perata and Nunez who really killed this issue. They control the votes in both houses and they could have put redistricting reform on the ballot if they wanted.