The Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Alert Blog is reporting this morning that Assembly Republican Leader Connie Conway, who apparently spoke with some of the "Rogue 5" GOP State Senators, that their negotiations with Governor Brown craft a budget deal have broken off.
Specifically (excerpted from Capitol Alert):
"It’s my impression, after speaking to some of (the Senate Republicans), that the talks are done and over, and they walked away from the table," Conway said. "It’s their impression that, even though the governor seems willing, labor has said ‘no’ to all of the requests. So I think everybody left very unhappy from the table."Joe Justin, spokesman for Sen. Bill Emmerson, R-Hemet, one of the five GOP senators negotiating with Brown, said Conway’s remarks were accurate.
"We remain committed to work," Justin said. "The public employee labor unions wouldn’t allow movement on a hard, meaningful spending cap and true, long-lasting pension reform."
My response to this "breakdown" in negotiations between Brown, the Democrats, and five maverick Republican legislators? GOOD.
My reasoning is very straightforward, I have been remarkably consistent — there are no "reforms" to be gotten (spending cap, pension reform, whatever) that is worth turning our back on California taxpayers by putting the largest tax increase in California history onto a June special election ballot.
Yes, there should be a spending cap (Gann style). Yes, there should be pension reform (401k’s for future service of current employees and for all new employees). But getting substantive reforms on the ballot in these other areas by embracing terrible tax policy is not the answer. Right now, the single thing that Republicans can do to help revive California’s flagging economy is to have the de facto tax cut of forcing the sunset of the two year "temporary" increases in the state’s sales, income and car taxes.
There are significant efforts underway to place real, meaningful spending and pension reform measures on the 2012 ballot — efforts which will not require Republicans to "horse trade" the property of every California family in return for ballot placement.
The strong message that Republicans should be sounding as we go into the 2012 election cycle is that we have kept our promise (on taxes) and that we are ready to support real reforms (which will be on the ballot).
Frankly, if you are a Republican colleague of these five Senators, ask them — urge them to stand in solidarity with overtaxed Californians, and to stop offering to place higher taxes on the ballot in exchange for — well — anything!
JON FLEISCHMAN AND ERIC HOGUE DEBATE
On a side note — if you agree with my sentiments above (and my longer thoughts here) or 
disagree, this Thursday you have an opportunity to either cheer me or jeer me as I engage in a lively debate (mud pit construction begins Wednesday night) with local Sacramento radio talk show host Eric Hogue (or at least the alien that has taken Eric’s body and has him spouting all kinds of rhetoric about the need to strike a deal that includes putting taxes on the ballot). The details of the noontime debate, hosted by the Sacramento Press Club, can be found here. (Proceeds from the event raise money for scholarships for students studying journalism.)
It is important to add that Eric and I are good friends, and while our debate will be serious (we are talking about serious stuff!), I’m sure we will inject levity into the discussion. We will involve the audience, and if all goes well, the event will turn out like this.