The Governor did not say much in his brief State of the State speech last Thursday. He focused solely on the state’s budget crisis and tried to blame the legislature for the lack of resolution to curb our freefall into bankruptcy. One of the very few actual proposals he made was that when a budget is not approved by the constitutional deadline, regular pay and per diem for legislators and the governor would cease. The Governor blames partisanship for these problems and suggests withholding pay as the solution.
The real failure of this idea is that the Governor is proposing to bribe legislators with pay in return for a budget vote. This is not only a bad idea, it is a felony. To change your vote in return for money is the prosecutor’s definition of a bribe. There are many budget process reforms which I have previously discussed that are really worthy to consider, but not this one.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Your Honor, I must disagree with your assertion that making legislative pay contingent on passing a budget is a felonious bribe. We the people pay the legislators to do a job. One of the major duties of that job is to establish an annual budget by a certain date. Employees who fail to complete the duties of their jobs would never receive compensation in the private sector; why should it be any different for public servants? The Governor is not suggesting that the Legislature pass a specific budget; only that a budget be passed.
To place your argument in context would assume that paying any legislator to perform his duties and vote on any bill would be a felonious bribe. Now, while I must admit that freeing the taxpayer of the burden of paying the Legislature is somewhat appealing, I don’t believe that that’s your intended effect.
January 20th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I think you are off the mark on this one, it is not a bribe it is just food fiscal policy. If the state is going to stop paying people it should start with Legislators, appointed officials, governor’s staff and Department heads. Start at the top and work your way down the chain of command.
I would put the legislators first in line to receive IOUs. If the state plans on sending out IOUs instead of tax refunds and the legislators still get to collect their pay in $s that sends the wrong message.
Step up and lead Mr. Leonard, your sacrifice for principle will be appreciated by electorate. However your whining about pay and changing votes to get it will not!
January 20th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Do you really want Republican lawmakers forced to choose between feeding their families and their political principles?
January 20th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Mr. Cavala,
Do you really want the people of California to choose between feeding their families and giving yet more money to the spend-happy socialist in the legislature?