I just read on the Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Alert website that GOP Senators emerged from a caucus meeting, and Cogdill announced that there were not the votes to pass this deal, and requested that Steinberg send legislators home. Steinberg refused. Senate GOP Leader Dave Cogdill should up the ante, and make it clear that if his caucus isn’t allowed to go home that he will no longer support the plan himself.

Assembly Republican Leader Villines (if he hasn’t already) should tell Speaker Bass that there are no longer GOP votes for this plan as long as Republicans are being "locked down" like criminals. Cross-chamber solidarity is important.

This is not the right way for Republicans to be treated, as if their objections are so trivial that carrots (pork) or sticks (sleep deprivation) are going to weaken their resolve to protect California taxpayers.

Maybe it’s time to hold a press conference and demand the "release" of Republican legislators (if Democrats want to enjoy their own "lock down" party, well, that’s their… Read More

The key comment I saw in this Associated Press story by Judy Lin on the deadlock on the Big 5/Big Taxes plan is from San Francisco Democrat Tom Ammiano.

Check this out:

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, also a Democrat, said the Senate deadlock was causing some in the Assembly to have second thoughts about the unpopular plan.

This should be encouraging news to the Senate Republican "Daring Dozen" who are standing tall for California taxpayers.

You are doing the right thing. I can also tell you that you have a lot of moral support coming your way from Assembly Republicans, many of whom have let me know how glad they are that you are all doing the right thing.… Read More

Check out the floor speech of State Senator Tony Strickland, as he handily makes the case for why the Big 5/Big Taxes budget is bad news for California. The video is here.

I guess today it would be the "Day after Valentine’s Day" Massacre. But the point is still relevant.… Read More

The debate has begun on the Assembly Floor.

You can watch it live here.

Here’s a screen shot of my Assemblyman, Chuck DeVore. Undoubtedly saying something very conservative!… Read More

Ever seen sausage being made. Here are some summary documents being distributed to the press of the Big 5 Big Tax deal. There are a lot of interesting items in there. You can be your own judge of whether the "concessions" given up by the Dems are worth the $14.8 billion in new taxes being "given up" by Republicans.

The documents are linked below (h/t to the Sacramento Bee website).

I should note that these are the first written documents detailing this budget deal that I’ve been able to get my hands on.… Read More

Some folks are getting paid to provide some good coverage of the legislative session goings-on.

KQED Public Radio’s John Myers is twittering here. There are also updates from the Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Alert blog.

You’ll know pretty quick if, in fact, Republican legislators facilitate $14++ billion in new taxes on Californians.… Read More

Today the Republican Party here in California is at a crossroads.

We watched from here in the Golden State while the GOP’s brand name was severely damaged by a Republican President and Senate and House majorities earlier this decade, when with GOP control, our party “presided” over growth in the size and scope of the federal government. Credibility is now an issue for our party, because our rhetoric did not match our actions.

Today, on a holiday weekend, on Valentine’s Day no less, at night, the State Legislature will gather in the State Capitol to vote on a state budget deal that is really, really bad news for California taxpayers and their families – the center point of this place is $14.8 billion in new taxes (more like $70 billion in new taxes over five years if all of the taxpayer-pain envisioned in this plan comes to fruition). I won’t spend time in this column blasting away at the poor policy reasons to oppose this plan, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, Jon Coupal with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and John Kabateck with the National Federation of Independent… Read More

Update: Floor session on the Assembly side has just started debate a few minutes ago, with Speaker Bass up first,Iprayfor the best from tonights effort.

As the legislatures caucuses finish huddling right now, no doubt very heated huddlesas all sorts of rumorsand speculation fly,the effect of tonights proposals actually passing seem to create a rather bizarre circumstance that will likely manifest itself in a 2009 special election.

The 2005 special, which was painted and treated as a "very unpopular" one by the press and even by many that would normally seek some of the reforms that were contained in it…and thendrew an apology after its demise by the Governor for calling it, could prove as a harbinger for a 2009 version.

The budget spending limit concept we have sought as Republicans is finally moving forward to a vote barring a last minute blow up of some sort.We have a chance at what we asked for as Republicans, right? If we just compromise on taxes, we can get the spending limit we ask for…or do we.

Youmay… Read More