My apologies — I am running around a bit today and not by the computer much. A quick data-download. The Senate and Assembly passed out two bills today, on votes of 54-0 in the Senate, and 69-0 in the Assembly, which include a few billion in cuts. No where near the $24 billion that needs to be cut to see California State government not end up back in a crisis-mode sometime in the upcoming fiscal year.
The argument that Assembly Republicans make in supporting these particular bills is that they represent cuts that need to be made in the current fiscal year budget (so within the next five days). Cuts made to some areas, such as education, have extra impact as the required levels of funding for some areas in next year’s budget are based on what those areas received this year.
The argument against these bills made by the Governor (who has pledged to veto the bills) and State Senate Republicans (except for a couple who bolted the caucus to vote with the Dems) is that it is imperative that we pass a comprehensive solution only, and nothing that allows Democrats to push out the tough cuts until later — when it is harder to have the impact of cuts truly make a difference in closing the gap.
Apparently as I write this Governor Schwarzenegger is talking with State Senate Republicans about this situation.
I guess I would make two observations:
The first is that this is only the 25th. There are five more days in this fiscal year. Why take the pressure off Dems to make comprehensive cuts to deal with the whole $24 billion problem almost a week sooner than is absolutely necessary?
There needs to be more information put out into the ideas marketplace to help those of us who follow California politics to understand what these folks are doing and why.
Governor Schwarzenegger is going to veto these bills, he says, because they represent a piecemeal approach instead of a comprehensive approach to resolving the problem. Frankly, if I were in his chair, I would be hard pressed not to do the same.
Understand that my interest here is very simple — I don’t want to get into the new fiscal year with a huge problem, and have to depend on GOP unity to protect taxpayers. In theory, Republicans will unite and block new taxes. But you’ll pardon me if I am just a bit cynical. Especially since the six Quisling Republicans who already voted to raise my sales, income and car taxes — and cut off a big chunk of the dependent tax credit — are still in the legislature. How can one reasonable argue that they will be solid votes against taxes in the Fall or Spring?