What a week: The state budget parley bites the dust, the governor
proposes a soup-to-nuts overhaul of public pensions, a teachers' union
releases a poll showing overwhelming support for new
taxes on the rich, the GOP whips up advertising slamming
the governor and Brown gets ready for a road trip across California
to sell his budget plans. Welcome to Sacramento!
From the LAT's Anthony York: "After failing to reach
agreement with GOP lawmakers, Brown said in an interview
Thursday that the time
had come to take his message to parts of the state
he has not visited since
being elected in November. Those include many Republican
districts."
"I'm not going to have these private meetings
with the Republicans, because they have no one thing
they want," he said.
"And to tell you the truth, they're not sure what they
want."
"The governor said he remained committed to putting
before voters a measure that would extend billions
of dollars in temporary tax
hikes to balance the budget — even as some Democrats are exploring the
possibility of tax hikes through a legislative vote."
The governor released a major public pension reform plan that targets most
of the issues raised by the pension system's voluble critics, notes
Capitol Weekly.
"Gov. Brown unveiled a plan to cut public pension costs
that blocks “spiking,” prohibits the purchase of retirement credits and stops
pension benefits for anyone convicted of a felony related
to their job. The proposals were contained in new legislation
presented to lawmakers."
"The Democratic governor, who said he is moving ahead
with pension reforms with or without the backing of
Republicans, said he also is working on array of other
hot-button pension changes, including caps on benefits,
limits on post-retirement employment, a so-called hybrid plan of defined benefits/contributions and changes in the governance of CalPERS
and CalSTRS."
"The governor said the pension issues were raised during
the fruitless budget negotiations with GOP lawmakers.
Those talks foundered, but not on the pension proposals,
according to the governor."
Meanwhile, the California Federation of Teachers commissioned a survey by pollster Ben Tulchin showing widespread support
for taxing the wealthy to help resolve California's
fiscal misery, reports the Bee's Kevin Yamamura.
"As Democrats scramble to find a new budget course
after talks collapsed this week, the California Federation of Teachers is calling for a 1 percent tax hike on the top 1 percent of earners as part of a state budget solution."
"The union estimates the tax hike would raise an estimated
$2.5 billion as the state faces a remaining $15.4 billion deficit, said spokesman Steve Hopcraft. The proposal would hike taxes by 1 percent on personal income above $500,000. CFT represents 120,000 teachers and school employees at all levels, including
the University of California."
"To back its efforts, CFT commissioned research by
private pollster Ben Tulchin which shows 78 percent of voters strongly or somewhat support such
an income tax hike. Respondents were asked whether
they would back that idea "in order to balance the
budget and prevent deeper cuts to services."
With all the attention on the state's finances, legislation long sought by the United Farm Workers
-- and others in organized labor -- was sent to the governor's desk. It allows "card check" elections to expedite union
organizing efforts.
From the LAT's Patrick McGreevy: "The legislation would give farmworkers the option
of unionizing without the usual petition, followed
by a secret-ballot election. Instead they could submit cards signed
by a majority of workers to state labor officials."
"The measure was approved on a 24-14 party-line vote by the state Senate and sent to the Assembly
on Cesar Chavez Day, the state holiday recognizing
the co-founder of the United Farm Workers. Supporters are
betting it will get a better reception from Democratic
Gov. Jerry Brown than from his Republican predecessor, who vetoed similar
bills.
"Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) introduced the bill, saying it was needed to reduce
employer intimidation of farmworkers, who must now
go to public polling places to ratify unions."
Senate GOP Leader Bob Dutton complained at a news conference
that Jerry Brown's wife yelled at him during the heat of
budget negotiations, and more than once.
"That’s what the Senate minority leader claimed Thursday
morning, following a week that saw budget negotiations
break down between Brown
and a quintet of GOP Senators known as the “GOP 5.” Speaking to reporters after
a short Senate morning session, Dutton said Brown has
treated him as largely
irrelevant to budget negotiations, and that one meeting
in particular didn’t
exactly go well."
“I was yelled at more than I was talked to,” said Dutton,
R-Rancho Cucamonga, “and mostly by Mrs. Brown, not even by the governor.”
"Dutton and Sen. Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, portrayed the
governor as little interested in talking to Republicans
or paying attention to
their ideas."
