[Publisher’s Note – This particular opinion piece rambles on a bit. Somewhere in this is a point to be made. Discerning readers will have to figure it out… Flash]
There is definitely no road map for a conservative legislator when dealing with the state budget debacle, which is why if you look at the vote’s on the state budget in the Senate and Assembly, Republicans are split – many reliably conservative legislators voted for the bill, while still many others voted against it.
Welcome to the intersection of policy and politics. I mean, let’s be clear. The budget that sits on Governor Schwarzenegger’s desk, that he has vowed to veto on Friday (presumably Friday to maximize inconvenience to legislators who would have to come up on the weekend for a potential over-ride vote, with one Assemblyman, Lloyd Levine, having to choose between a budget vote in Sacramento, and his own wedding in Seattle), is riddled with reasons for a conservative to vote no. Frankly, it doesn’t contain nearly enough cuts in spending to offset 40% growth in state spending over the last four budgets. It contains some extremely dumb fiscal policies (such as gouging taxpayers by making them pay more of their taxes earlier in the fiscal year, slamming businesses with a reduction in their ability to deduct losses, and if you’re looking to buy a yacht, you actually get a tax hike – and of course the whole notion of expanding the lottery and borrowing money against it is absurd). Add to it that there is, in fact, no real long-term reform of the budget process. In fact, this budget guarantees that we’ll all be back in short-order to a similar budget crisis next year. In short, a conservative looking at this thing could very easily put up a vote of NO, and easily justify it to themselves, and to their constituents.
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September 17th, 2008 at 12:00 am
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
Theodore Roosevelt
The Republicans have done all that they can do, today. They should not allow it to be undone by a veto.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:00 am
I agree with you Jon, your opinion does ramble. And misses the point. The point is, how to reform the entire budget process so spending is capped. I suggest a cap of inflation plus population growth, starting with the budget of 1999. If the Governor had a magic wand, the state would now have a surplus of several billion dollars instead of a deficit of 15 or so billion dollars. Unfortunately, that magic wand was missing from the Governor’s desk drawer. So the next step is the initiative process. I hope you, Jon, and your friends can come up with the millions of dollars you will need to put an initiative on the ballot that caps spending (and puts any surplus into an untouchable interest earning trust fund so our friends in the legislature can’t put their sticky fingers on it).
September 17th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Jon – I must respectfully disagree with what you’ve said here; your rationale for supporting a veto override has everything to do with party politics and gamesmanship but nothing to do with what’s really in the best interests of Californians. I’m a solid conservative and in my opinion this budget is a disaster, a slap in the face to every Californian from a legislature that has simply stopped caring. I agree with you that the Republicans don’t owe Arnold anything, but that’s not the issue. Arnold is trying to stand up and do what’s right for the state, we should expect no less from our elected leaders. And frankly, I agree with Arnold that the Republicans have sold us out already anyway, they agreed to a tax hike but just masked it as more witholding. In my opinion, less money in my paycheck is certainly worse for the economy and my personal spending than a one cent sales tax. Republicans and Democrats should support this veto; they made a huge mistake in approving the budget, now they need to own up to it, go back and get it right.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:00 am
If the veto is overridden, we have an 8 to 9 month break and then we will be in the same place next summer…. but probably much worse. The can has been kicked down the road for years; will CA have to file for bankruptcy before the problem is dealt with?
September 17th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Question: Isn’t this budget that is on the Governor’s desk calls for 10% surcharge in 2009, then says you can have the surcharge back in 2010?
It sounds like borrowing, which should be refunded with pricipal and interest.
Regardless, it sounds like a tax increase. I do not know how the GOP Assembly caucus got divided on a simple matter.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Where is the real leadership? Not in Sacramento. This budget postpones the fiscal mess till next year, and I doubt it’ll get fixed next year. So once and for all, our dear elected officials in Sacramento need to get off their butt and make sure this mess never happens again, and do it NOW, not next year. Their constant inability to actually solve this mess is going to come back to bite us someday, and that day will probably be sooner than late. Oh, and whose fault is this mess really? Ours. We elected them.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Balanced Budget.
No More Borrowing.
Based this years budget based on last years revenue, departments need to make the case for additional spending to the Governor.
Problem Solved.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:00 am
This budget is just horrible.
How can any Republican calling themselves a fiscal conservative vote for this budget?
Since when was it ok to spend and borrow on the backs of our grandchildren preferable to tax and spend? At least one is more honest about their intentions.
I do not support any of the Republican who voted for this scam.
This budget is not in the best interest of the people of California.