"State lawmakers are expected to vote today on an $18 billion budget [correction], put forth Wednesday by Democrats, that contains more
than $9 billion in added revenue and requires only a simple
majority vote of the Legislature to be approved," reports Matthew Yi in the Chron.
"The move boxes in Republicans, who have just enough
votes to block lawmakers from approving tax and budget
bills that require a two-thirds majority in the Democratic-controlled Legislature.
"But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger does not support the
plan, which is designed to help close a $40 billion budget deficit expected through mid-2010, his spokesman said.
"'We need real, long-term cuts,' said
Matt David, the governor's communications director.
'We need real revenues, and we also need a real economic
stimulus package. Without these things, what (the lawmakers) are doing is just a drill.'"
"Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Baldwin Vista (Los Angeles County), planned to have both houses of the Legislature vote
on the proposal late Wednesday. But the floor sessions
were called off at 9 p.m. because the technical language on the 16-bill package was not completed."
The LAT's Jordan Rau and Evan Halper write: "The Democratic gambit, announced Wednesday, would raise
$9.3 billion to ease the state's fiscal crisis by increasing sales taxes by three-fourths of a cent and gas taxes by 13 cents a gallon, starting in February. The plan would
add a surcharge of 2.5% to everyone's 2009 state income tax bill.
"It would also require businesses to withhold taxes
on payments above $600 made to independent contractors, as they are now required
to do with salaried employees.
"In addition, the Democrats said they would cut $7.3 billion from schools, healthcare and other programs.
Their package would total $18 billion and nearly halve the state's budget shortfall, projected to reach $41.8 billion in the next 18 months."
Ladies and gentleman, that means more fun and excitement
next summer...
The Bee's Steve Wiegand and Jim Sanders write:
"Even if the governor goes along, GOP leaders said they
expect the maneuver to be the subject of a legal battle.
"'Obviously, I and my colleagues – and I'm sure a lot of other people in the state – will believe that what they've done is illegal,' said Senate Republican leader Dave Cogdill of Modesto.
"Assembly GOP leader Mike Villines summed up the Democrats' approach as "raising taxes on people and playing funny math and
calling it fees."
"The Clovis Republican challenged an implication by
Steinberg and Bass that GOP leaders had obstructed
budget talks.
"'The only time it's really a compromise with the majority-party Democrats is when you give them what they want
– otherwise you're an obstructionist,' Villines said.
"Steinberg said Democrats have made 'every effort' to strike a bipartisan deal, but we 'believe the higher responsibility is to govern.'"
George Skelton applauds Steinberg and Bass for thinking outside of
the box. The leaders are hoping that whichever judge gets
the case appreciates the creativity too...
The AP reports:
"California's Pooled Money Investment Board voted 3-0 Wednesday to halt state lending for an estimated 2,000 infrastructure projects statewide through June, saying the state's finances are so grim that California can no longer
afford to fund them.
"Together, the projects are worth a total of $16.2 billion. They include work on highways, parks, schools,
levees, hospitals and more.
"The unanimous vote by the three-member board came despite pleas from construction and
building representatives who said a freeze in spending
would further devastate their already hard-hit industries that have lost work on residential homes
and businesses because of the recession.
"'Public work is the only game in town,' said Dave Ackerman, who spoke on behalf of the Associated
General Contractors. 'Private work has virtually dried up. And we now have
hundreds of contractors that are moving to the public
arena because there is no private work for them to
do. There's no lines of credit available.'"
Capitol Weekly takes a look at the role of public affairs firms in the political process.
"Much of the work these firms do is invisible. And that
is by design. Often, a firm’s job is to keep a client out of the press. Other times,
firms get pieces of larger campaigns out of the limelight
or public eye. Client lists for these firms is proprietary,
and unless they are working formal political campaigns
and receiving direct payments from a political committee,
their work is not reportable or open to any public
disclosure."
Meanwhile, CW compiles a list of public affairs pros to watch.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday that legislative dysfunction led to
the approval of Proposition 11, which prevents state lawmakers from drawing their
own district boundaries in 2011," reports Kevin Yamamura in the Bee.
"The Republican governor appeared at the California
State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento along with
leaders from watchdog groups and the carpenters union
to celebrate Proposition 11. For Schwarzenegger, it marked a return to the stage
of his famous 2003 recall campaign rally in which he called for an overhaul
of California's political system.
"'At that time five years ago,' Schwarzenegger said, 'I didn't have the foggiest idea of how difficult it would
be to pass that (redistricting) initiative.'
"Advocates, including leaders from the League of Women
Voters, AARP and the carpenters union, said the change
would create more competitive state legislative districts.
In theory, they suggested, such districts would send
more compromise-minded legislators to Sacramento because candidates
would not have to appeal to extreme party ideologies."
"California racing authorities have approved an expansion of off-track betting to card rooms, sports bars and other businesses in
the state," reports Charles Burress in the Chron.
Can we add Chops to the list of places?
It was pretty boring hanging out there last night waiting
for the sessions that never materialized, and a little
bit of the ponies would have helped.
"The seven-member California Horse Racing Board unanimously approved
new regulations Monday allowing implementation of the
expansion, which was adopted by the state legislature
last year.
"The state's financially struggling horse-race industry supported the change as a way to increase
income and awareness of the sport.
"Off-track betting currently is allowed at three dozen locations
- racetracks, racing fairs and a few tribal casinos.
The newly approved expansion permits up to 45 additional off-tracks sites, though industry insiders have said the
cost and restrictions under the law could discourage
some potential operators."
"Commuters are likely to face $5 tolls on the Bay Bridge and other state-owned spans - and a possible toll for carpools - in 2010 to raise nearly $1 billion for necessary seismic-safety improvements on the Antioch and Dumbarton bridges,
officials said Wednesday," reports the Chron's Michael Cabanatuan.
"The Bay Area Toll Authority received the grim news
about the need for a toll increase from its own staff
and officials from Caltrans and the California Transportation
Commission at a meeting Wednesday. The authority took
no action, but officials presented the toll increase
as an inevitability rather than a proposal.
"Three reasons were cited to explain the need for the
increase: the seismic improvements, a decline in bridge traffic
and toll revenue and the tight credit market.
"'That triple whammy is such that we will need to pursue' toll increases as well as cost savings and other sources
of funding for the bridge improvements, said Steve Heminger, executive director of the Metropolitan Transportation
Commission, which also serves at the Bay Area Toll
Authority."
And finally, from our When Monkeys Attack Files, "Three performing monkeys turned on their trainer after
he beat one of them with a stick. When one of the monkeys
refused to ride on a child's bicycle in a street
performance in Sizhou, in eastern China, their owner
beat it with a stick.
"Although they were tied to the man with ropes attached
to their collars, the
monkeys appear to have decided to fight back.
The two animals came to the defence of the third monkey,
grabbing the stick
from the man, pulling on his ear and biting his head.
When he dropped his cane, on monkey snatched it up
and began beating the
trainer on the head until he broke the stick, witnesses
said.
"The dazed trainer told his audience: 'They were once wild and these
performances don't always come naturally to them. They may have built
up
some feelings of hatred towards me.'"
Let that be a lesson to all you legislative leaders
out there...
