He's mean, he's green, and he's doesn't like the Yuletide season one bit.
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger promised to veto a budget deal approved Thursday by
the state Legislature, saying the $18 billion package crafted by Democratic lawmakers would
cut spending too little, raise taxes and fees too much
and shortchange economic stimulus programs," report Matthew Yi and Wyatt Buchanan in the Chron.
Then the Whos down in Whoville will all cry BooHoo!
"'The whole idea was that we help the people as much
as possible in these terrible times,' the governor said shortly after lawmakers passed the
package on a controversial simple majority vote. 'But this proposal ... does really only one thing - and that's to punish the people of California.'
"A spokeswoman for Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said Steinberg will try to convince Schwarzenegger
that the Legislature has given him much of what he
wanted.
"'We gave so much more than we thought we were going
to give,' spokeswoman Alicia Trost said. 'If they are able to work out a deal before the end
of the year, Sen. Steinberg will call legislators back
to Sacramento for a vote.'
"Shannon Murphy, a spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Baldwin Vista (Los Angeles County), said the speaker plans to meet with Steinberg today
before seeking a meeting with the governor."
The Bee's Steve Weigand and Kevin Yamamura write:
The governor's "office charged that the Legislature's plan provided little regulatory relief for construction
projects and would not improve the economy substantially.
"The governor also wanted lawmakers to institute state
worker furloughs, but the legislative proposal would
have required the state to negotiate $657 million in job cuts with labor unions.
"'Absolutely I would have signed it if we would have
gotten the cuts and the economic stimulus package,' he said.
"The governor urged legislators to stay in Sacramento
and keep working.
"'They should stay here, work some more on the budget,' he said. 'I am willing to stay here … and I think the Legislature owes it to the people
of California to solve this problem before Christmas.'
"Chances of that, however, appeared nil. Assembly Speaker
Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, said her house would not come back until
after Jan. 1."
But, there's one more strategy that they could employ.
Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, Would stand close together,
with Christmas bells ringing. They'd stand hand-in-hand. And the Whos would start singing!
That'll get him!
Meanwhile, even if the governor is willing to sign
the revenues, will they stand up in court or among
the voters? Jordan Rau and Patrick McGreevey report for the Times:
"Several Republican lawmakers and antitax advocates
said they would file a lawsuit charging that the plan
violates Proposition 13's provision that all tax increases require a two-thirds vote of the Legislature.
"They also threatened to launch a referendum to overturn
the proposed increase in the 13-cent-a gallon gas tax, which is scheduled to take effect
in February.
"'Let's just have the signature gatherers stand at the gas
stations and see how long that takes to get the signatures
on a referendum,' said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn.
"Qualifying the referendum would require 433,971 signatures. Once they were collected and validated,
the increase would be suspended pending a vote of the
electorate.
"Legal experts said it was unclear whether courts would
overturn other parts of the Democrats' package in the event that the governor were to sign
it.
"The proposal would raise $9.3 billion by increasing sales taxes three-fourths of a cent. It 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, it would cut $7.3 billion from schools, healthcare and
other programs. Their package would nearly halve the
state's budget
shortfall, projected to reach $41.8 billion in the next 18 months."
The Merc News's Mike Zapler writes: "Any legal battle with taxpayer advocates will have
far-reaching implications. If the Democrats' approach — in essence replacing taxes, which take a two-thirds vote, with fees, which need only a majority
— is deemed valid, they could return to the same strategy
in the future. Steinberg said Thursday that he expects
his party to do just that if the state's fiscal woes persist and Republicans continue to block
taxes.
"Legal experts said it's difficult to predict how a judge might rule, given
that the proposal appears to be unprecedented, at least
on the scale that Democrats propose. But on the basic
fee vs. tax argument, Democrats appear to be on solid
footing, one legal expert said.
"'Does it pass the laugh test, and would I defend it?
Yes,' said Jonathan Zasloff, a professor at UCLA School of Law. 'Is it a slam dunk? No.'"
Dan Walters reminds us that, even if the package is
eventually signed and upheld, we're only on the 50-yard line.
"Finally, even were the scheme to win the governor's approval and
clear the courts, the state would still face a deficit
of more than $20
billion that would have to be addressed in 2009."
Makes us want to go to Washington, where they don't worry about such things as shortfalls. And, someone
from the San Gabriel Valley will likely soon get the
chance.
"President-elect Barack Obama's reported pick of Rep. Hilda Solis as his Labor secretary is causing California legislators to gear up to run for what would be a rare open congressional seat," writes Dan Morain on his Times blog.
"First to proclaim interest: state Sen. Gloria Romero, an East Los Angeles Democrat.
"Romero, 53, replaced Solis in the state Senate, and her East
Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley district encompasses
the congressional district. The district is heavily
Democratic, 57% Latino and 13% Asian, according to the California Target Book, which
tracks legislative and congressional races in this
state.
"In an interview today, Romero called Solis an 'adamant advocate for working families' and 'a natural choice, a progressive choice' to be Labor secretary.
"Romero, 53, has made her name in the Legislature by holding tough
oversight hearings into California’s troubled prison system. She had been contemplating
a run for California superintendent of public instruction
in 2010.
"'I have deep roots, and I would certainly give it every
consideration,' Romero said. 'Definitely, I am interested.'
"One of the Calderon brothers also could run. The clan
includes Assemblyman Charles Calderon, a Democrat from Montebello, state Sen. Ron Calderon or former Assemblyman Tom Calderon."
"A leader of the campaign to defeat Proposition 8 on Thursday declined an invitation to attend the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama.
"Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California, called
it "disappointing and hurtful" that a prominent Orange County minister who backed
the measure to ban gay marriage has been chosen to
speak at the inauguration.
"'Accordingly, I have decided to decline the invitation
to attend the inauguration as I cannot be part of a
celebration that highlights and gives voice to someone
who advocated repealing rights from me and millions
of other Californians,' Kors said in a statement.
"Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, endorsed Proposition
8, the November ballot measure that ended same-sex marriage in California."
"The California Public Utilities Commission yesterday
cleared the way for construction of the Sunrise Powerlink , a contentious transmission line that promises to
bring more reliable and renewable power from the Imperial
Valley to San Diego," reports Michael Gardner in the U-T.
"The 4-1 vote allows San Diego Gas & Electric Co. to move forward with the 123-mile, $1.9 billion power line project, which could deliver enough
electricity to serve 650,000 households.
"'It's something we really feel is in the best interest
of our customers and in the best interest of the state
in furthering a policy on renewables,' SDG&E President Debra Reed said. 'Our plans are to move forward with construction of
the line as soon as we possibly can.'
"That may be a while. Power line opponent Michael Shames, executive director of San Diego's Utility Consumers' Action Network, said a legal challenge is being prepared.
"'We expected this decision from day one, and we'll appeal,' he said. 'They ignored the facts on cost and reliability issues.'"
"Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell endorsed a report Thursday that suggests more data are the key to learning what's working – and what's not – in education," reports Melissa Nix in the Bee.
"The McKinsey Report calls for the development of a
comprehensive state education data system, one that
would track individual public school students and teachers
over time. The report recommends expanding and linking
K-12 information to data about preschool, higher education,
the work force and social services."
Finally, if you think our legislators have too much
time on their hands with the bills that are generated,
we've been one-upped by the Show-Me State.
"A Missouri lawmaker wants to officially declare Dec.
25 as "Christmas."
"Missouri has 12 holidays, but most don't have an official title in state law. For example,
the fourth Thursday in November is a holiday, but you
need to consult your calendar to find it's Thanksgiving Day.
"Missouri has just four named holidays — Martin Luther King Day, Lincoln Day, Truman Day and
Columbus Day.
"A bill filed Thursday by Republican House member Mike Cunningham, of Rogersville, would make "Christmas" the name of the Dec. 25 holiday."
Maybe there is hope for California.
And the minute his heart didn't feel quite so tight, He whizzed with his load through
the bright morning light And he brought back the toys!
And the food for the feast! And he...
...HE HIMSELF...! The Grinch carved the roast beast!
