Today’s Commentary is guest-authored by California Board of Equalization Member Bill Leonard, an outstanding conservative leader here in the Golden State…
Senate Republicans Break Their Rusty Cage
Imagine a friend with talking parrots. He keeps them in a cage all year covered with a drape, feeds them occasionally, cleans their cage less often, yet once a year around June 30th when the relatives come to visit he drags out the cage, pulls off the drape, and orders the parrots to talk. This is the Senate Republican Caucus. And because they have not performed on cue they are being called obstructionist, stubborn, uncooperative, and even terrorists.
The truth is that the Democrats’ changes to the Governor’s Budget have only been available since mid-June and the Republicans have been detailing their objections to that “work product” since it was made public. I sympathize with those bothered by the lateness of the budget but this outcome is entirely predictable when the budget itself has been kept under wraps for so long. California has a constitutional requirement that the budget bill requires a two-thirds vote of both houses. This is not a new rule. Past majority party leaders have tried to find ways around this rule and they have failed. So there is no other choice but to engage the minority party in the debate, negotiations, and agreements. Why are the Republicans being treated like caged parrots when they are by order of the Constitution fundamental to the process?
There is a reason I am part of that small 12% of Californians who are following the budget standoff. I am not getting paid. That being said it seems that very important issues have been raised by the Senate Republicans that deserve to be answered with thoughtful responses and not name calling or staged media events. While the budget document is technically balanced with a reserve due to previously borrowed money, everybody I have read or listened to agrees that the state’s spending commitments are outrunning its revenue. This is not economically healthy. With such a rare consensus on the facts of the situation it is reasonable that our leaders take steps to bring annual spending and annual revenue into balance for the future.
Some suggest that this “structural deficit” is tomorrow’s problem and it is OK to ignore it for now just like we are ignoring the looming Social Security crisis, but I know it is difficult to identify and reduce low priority programs or to decide if particular programs should be ended as opposed to across the board reductions. These are all tough decisions even for those who believe the state budget is bloated. Given contracts and other commitments it can take a year or two to close a program. With this time frame it is crucial that we begin now.
Dodging a Bullet – Democrats Could Have Declared Victory
The Senate Republicans are making a big deal of their proposal to fund the government during July and August while the budget debate continues. And it really is a big deal. I am so pleased that the Democrats did not take up the offer as it is also a risky precedent. Continuing resolutions are how the Congress funds the various federal agencies with the actual budget often months later when the fiscal year is mostly over. By necessity these on-going appropriations just continue last year’s budget even if everyone agrees that that level of spending cannot be sustained. It removes flexibility to make changes in spending priorities or to match spending to upcoming revenues. It also compromises the ability to fund new programs or meet new priorities.
The Democrats would have been smart to grab the offer, declare victory, and go on vacation. Coming back the budget year would be two months older and it would have been even harder to make changes in spending patterns. It was a great and risky offer by the Senate Republicans and the result showed the continued refusal of the Senate Democrats to sit down with the minority party as equals when it comes to the Budget.
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