It's a very interesting question. In both of the two referenda I have administered, the politicians and political parties have stayed curiously quiet and have not engaged in the debate. When I think about the kinds of topics that might be the subject of a federal referendum, I can't imagine that being the case.
My sense is that you need a debate for the referendum to be meaningful. The question of whether that debate will be addressed politically is the one you have to deal with. The democrat in me says you should foster that debate, and if having citizens' committees does that, by all means have them. The pragmatist in me says if you're going to have to register all these committees, manage their spending limits, and oversee them, you might be looking at an administrative headache.
I guess I'm riding the fence here, but I appreciate the gravity of the questions this committee has to grapple with.