So in the wee hours, the DEMOCRAT budget passes, as does the controversial health trailer bill that contains the "poison pill" amongst other programs.
The budget, SB 77, required 54 votes (2/3) to pass the Assembly. One Democrat was absent which means seven GOP votes were needed for passage, and the following NINE Republicans voted for it: Adams, Aghazarian, Berryhill, Blakeslee, Emmerson, Horton, Keene, Niello, and Villines.
The Health Serves also required 54 votes, and it got 55. They were: Adams, Aghazarian, Berryhill, Blakeslee, Emmerson, Maze, Niello, and Villines went up on that.
Quick observations:
1) Due to the hard work of Mike Villines and his leadership team, this DEMOCRAT budget is better than it was before they insisted on some reforms. They should be recognized for some real impacts to take this from worse to bad.
2) Despite their best efforts, stepping back and looking at this DEMOCRAT budget, it is no where near what Republicans would have put forth if we had a majority. It is still a terrible fiscal plan for California.
3) This is demonstrated by the fact that the overwhelming majority of Republican lawmakers did not support this DEMOCRAT budget.
4) Now it is off to the State Senate where Democrats need only two GOP votes. That said, the Senate Republicans, in solidarity, voted that unless a majority of their group (8) agree to vote for the DEMOCRAT budget, none of them will…
July 20th, 2007 at 12:00 am
“NINE Republicans voted for it: Adams, Aghazarian, Berryhill, Blakeslee, Emmerson, Horton, Keene, Niello, and Villines.”
They all deserve a primary challenge!