As I write this, the California State Senate is voting on the various components of the BIG BOND$ deal.  First to pass was this Prop. 42 ‘fix’ that would go on the ballot, though there is nothing in the other bonds requiring the Prop. 42 fix to actually pass for the bonds to also be authorized.  This is key since the CTA opposes the fix.  Also voted out was the Levee Repair Bond, as well as a one-time emergency appropriation of $500,000.  They started a vote on the Housing Bond, but apparently Republican Leader Ackerman was not there, so that has been held open.  Votes underway for the Transportation and the Education Bond measures.

And the State Assembly has just called their members into session…

[UPDATE (Midnight):  The Senate passed, with TWO Republican votes (the minimum # of GOP votes to give Democrats a 2/3 vote) the Housing Bond measure.  The two GOPers that sold-out on that vote:  Senators Dick Ackerman and Bob Dutton.  Very disappointing.]

[UPDATE II (12:10am):  Just got off of the phone with Dick Ackerman, who I have to admit was very good about taking the brunt of my opinion of his votes on things, especially the Housing Bond.  That said, he told me that now all of the Bond measures (Housing, Transportation, Education, and Levee Repair) have been passed and are on their way to the State Assembly…]

BONDS PASS THE LEGISLATURE IN THE WEE HOURS
[UPDATE III: (6:05am):  Good grief.  Get a few hours of sleep and…despite any of the concerns that I have articulated about process of substance, enough GOPers signed off in the Assembly to place all of these bond measures on the November ballot.  Will be doing some analysis, with an especially critical eye on those Republicans who voted our a multi-billion dollar ‘housing bond’ measure.  Another win-win for the Democrats.  They now have a massive expansive of socialized housing on the ballot that will divide Republicans, and leave those GOPers who are already cynical at the inability of Republicans in Washington, D.C., to cut spending wondering why we even have the nerve to claim fiscal responsibility as a Party principle.]

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 4th, 2006 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.