This just off the transom…

California Assemblyman Chuck DeVore Resigns Leadership Post Due to $14 Billion Tax Increase Deal

Feb. 14, 2009, Sacramento, CA – California State Assemblyman Chuck DeVore resigned today as Chief Republican Whip due to his opposition to a massive tax increase deal brokered by Republican legislative leaders. DeVore said, “The St. Valentine’s Day deal to raise taxes on hardworking Californians will neither close the budget deficit nor control spending. I believe leadership thinks they are doing the right thing – but I cannot be a party to this agreement as I believe it will harm California.”

Excerpts of DeVore’s letter to Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines follow:

“…the recent agreement you negotiated to increase taxes in exchange for a spending limit will not likely accomplish the twin aims of deficit reduction and budget control that you seek.

“This proposed agreement also strikes at the heart… Read More

OK, it’s getting hard to format what is nowa back-and-forth between Pacific Research Institute Economist Dr. Benjamin Zycher and Mike Genest, the California Director of Finance. In a nutshell, they are going back and forth over the language of the potential spending cap that is in the Big-5 Big-Tax deal. So, below you have in RED summaries of Zycher’s observations as penned by Genest (you can see all of Zycher’s original observations here). Then in GREEN are Genest’s responses. Now, in BLUE are Zycher’s responses to Genest.

I HAVE FAITH IN ENTERPRISE LEGISLATIVE STAFF MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE THIS IMPORTANT EXCHANGE GETS TO THEIR BOSSES DOWN IN CAUCUS… :-)

Oh yes – this is a great opportunity to make a further editorial comment about how this process is being rushed way too quickly. Heck, we can’t even get policy experts to agree on what should be very objective issues. Isn’t it time give this a few more days and let all of these questions be answered in a less harried environment?… 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

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

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

Director of Finance Mike Genest’s latest volley back in the great Zycher-Genest Spending Cap debate. Genest is responding to a back and forth that can be seen here. No doubt will hear from Zycher soon. Genest and Zycher and their significant others are more victims of pushing through this plan on Valentine’s Day evening…

From Genest:

I have the actual bill, which is in print, ACA 1 in the 3rd extraordinary session. Look on page 4, lines 25 through 28: "For fiscal years commencing on July 1, 2011, this subdivision shall be operative only if a transfer of moneys from the budget stabilization fund to the general fund is authorized pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (f)."

That means, after 2010-11, there will be no more transfers from the rainy-day fund unless needed to put just enough back in the general fund to cover a current services level budget. That’s not interpretation, it’s… Read More