Latest on Budget: Meat Axes, Ice Cream and Wine

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Working Californians blogs]

Things are progressing, spurred in part by a few bottles of wine and ice cream. This marks the beginning of a new stage of negotiations. The legislative leaders are no longer bashing each other in public, but are chatting amicably behind closed doors. It has been prompting rumors that we may have a deal and a vote on the budget this weekend.

As expected, more information is trickling out about the Republican's proposed budget cuts. They called for a 1-2% across the board cut in all state programs. That would net about $1 to $2 billion. The Democrats have already declared it unacceptable, particularly with regards to education.

“Democrats are not going to cut public education. Period,” said Steve Maviglio, the speaker's spokesman. “That type of meat-ax approach to budgeting won't fly.”

Arnold has also ruled out cuts to education.

Let's see how things go today. Progress is a good thing. Perhaps we need to just order them a full course dinner and we will have a deal. Or is it really just alcohol and desert that gets things moving?