[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

Well, now we have it: the solution to California’s budget deadlock as provided by an elite class of “bipartisan” gurus lead by former Clinton Chief of Staff Leon Panetta.

Editorial approbation will soon follow. Then, when the advice of this group of elders falls upon deaf ears and a harsh, partisan budget fight ensues, the proposals will serve their true purpose: a big stick with which the press corps can use to beat our elected officials about the head to lay the groundwork for yet another ballot measure solution.

What are the proposals and why are they silly? Let’s take them one by one.

(1) Out of control costs”. We must, says Panetta, “make sure the state doesn’t commit programs it can’t support”. Like tougher prison sentences? Of course, when a ballot measure was presented to voters just a couple of years ago to save money by reducing prison time (and expense), it was rejected decisively by voters. So the tough sentences remain, as do the costs – soon to be paid for by taxpayers at the insistence of Federal Judges.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

There they go again.

After needlessly holding up the budget for months last summer with the same failed strategy, Senate Republicans yesterday signaled their intent to try to weaken the state's environmental and labor laws as the price for their support of the state budget again this year. Included in this year's demands are a delay in the state's landmark global warming law, repeal of the eight-hour day labor law signed by Gov. Davis, a plan to aid the health insurance industry, and relaxing compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Sen. George Runner, R-Lancaster, put it bluntly, according to a report in the San Diego Union Tribune. "We are putting this on the table for the budget negotiations. You are not going to see these necessarily as bills floating around in the Legislature somewhere -- only to have a 10-minute hearing and be dismissed."

So once again, the Republicans are dragging non-budget issues into the budget fight.

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