The Inside Story: Perata in His Own Words on the California Budget Process and Results

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

[Editor's note: Senate President pro Tem Don Perata held a news conference following a recess of four days that he called after an all day and night lockup of the Senate failed to produce a budget. Read this and you'll find out about some of the late night conversations he had with Republicans--about trains--as they tried to hammer something out. You'll also get some details of how the Governor tried to help and struck out with Republican Senators.

Here is our transcript of the press conference which is most revealing. We will have more of an analysis tomorrow. For more information, see our previous articles.]

We came in yesterday with the idea that we would work consistently until we could come up with a budget that resolved the differences. This morning it became apparent that again Republicans had changed the location of the goal and David Beckam might have a hard time kicking it into the goal because it keeps moving.

Today, the Republicans said they wanted to go down to a zero deficit, and that's changed now three times. So when we asked them "Where would you make the cuts, there's been vague answers and I don't even think you've had much success in pinning them down.

Because, until they are ready and willing and able to specifically say "We want cuts here, we want changes there--and write trailer bills that satisfy the budget and the budget requirements, I don't see how were going to make any progress. I do not understand what they're after.

The Governor last night was working very hard to try to resolve this thing. He was perplexed, I'm perplexed, so I've just put the burden back on them.

They keep saying we're almost there. The fact of the matter is we don't know where we are. I have no idea. And on a day to day basis I don't know where we are.

So, we have a budget. The Assembly passed a budget. And we have it. And normally we take that budget up and we adopt it. So we are changing now the way we do things to see if perhaps they can be a little bit more forthright and forthcoming about solving it.

This is a Republican Senate problem. It's not anybody else's problem. Three parties have agreed, the fourth has not. The Governor has said this is a good budget; it's a budget that everyone should be able to support.