[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill, long known as the “budget nun” in Sacramento, will be leaving her jobafter 22 years, reports the LA Times. She is only the fourth person toserve in the office since it was founded in 1941. Her only regret, ofcourse, is that California is still $16 billion in the hole.

More than 10,000 teachers across the stateare expected to be notified this weekend of being laid off due to thestate budget crisis, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. The Governorhas proposed to  cut $4 billion to schools, forcing many local schooldistricts to lay off teachers or face insolvency.

Photo courtesy of the Legislative Analyst's Office.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Legislative Analyst Liz Hill is going to retire at the end of the year. She has served in the psot for 22 years.  Her no-nonsense style will surely be missed around Sacramento.  From Speaker Nunez in the SacBee.:

"Everyone who values serious advice for meeting California's serious challenges owes a tremendous debt to Liz Hill," said Assembly Speaker Fabian N??ez, D-Los Angeles, in a statement. "Her thoughtful, non-partisan stewardship of the Legislative Analyst's Office is an example of public service at its best."

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Anthony Wright
Executive Director of Health Access California

One more thing about the Legislative Analyst’s Office beyond yesterday’s article, and their role in health reform, in the recent debate, and in the future.

THE LAO'S INFLUENCE: While some have seen the LAO report as a factor in the stalling of AB x1 1 and health reform this year, I think the evidence shows that it was the easy excuse--rather than the actual reason--for the Senate to stop the bill. (For example, one Senator said that the LAO report was determinative in deciding how to vote, even though that Senator had announced opposition to the proposal months earlier.)

In other words, the LAO report, along with other factors, helped create an environment where a "no" vote was acceptable and even easy. The LAO has no formal decision-making power, but it does have influence, and its decisions do have political consequences.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Peter Schrag

You don't have to read between the lines of Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill's "Alternate Budget" to understand its basic message: The governor couldn't have been serious in his own budget proposals.

The governor's plan, she said, "reflects little effort to prioritize and determine which state programs provide essential services or are most critical to California's future. In doing so, the administration has shifted much of the responsibility for crafting a workable budget to the Legislature."

The fiercely nonpartisan LAO is supposed to analyze, question, suggest. An alternate budget that includes revenues increases is unprecedented. It says: If you can't do it, let us show you how. If the Legislature were controlled by the current crop of Republicans, she'd probably be looking for a job.

Predictably, much of the attention went to Hill's tax heresies. She actually proposed increasing revenues, largely by closing some $2.65 billion in what she regards as unproductive or unjustified tax loopholes.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

California legislative Democrats and Republicans joined in today and passed by large margins painful cuts in state spending to turn a $3.7 billion hole in this fiscal year’s spending ending in June into what may be a $1 billion reserve. Laws that require payments in health and human services, and in other areas were also revised that will reduce the problems for the next fiscal year from a deficit of about $15 billion to about 7 or 8 billion dollars.

The debate was fairly harmonious in the Assembly where the leadership of both parties and the members recognized that quick action needed to be taken to avoid insolvency. Most of the bills passed by large margins in the Senate as well—although the debate itself was more intense, personal, and partisan.

We are in very difficult times as a state. As early as next week, when the Legislative Analyst’s Office issues a new report, there may be more bad news and the combination of cuts and revenue enhancements that will need to be made is expected to increase once again as California’s economy and tax collections weaken. It is going to get even uglier.

by jsw [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Disclaimer:  I am paid by exactly no-one to advocate for any political position.  I've heard rumors that certain people would actually pay me to stop.

There's been a lot of heat, and not as much light as would be ideal, generated around Proposition 93, the ballot initiative to extend (a bit) the current legislative term limits.  I have already turned in my absentee ballot, and I voted for Proposition 93, despite its manifest flaws.  If you're interested in why (and my take on those flaws), it's below the fold.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Opponents of health care reform won't have much to brag about, now that the analysis of the Nunez/Perata health care plan supported by Governor Schwarzenegger has been released by the Legislative Analyst (a.k.a, the "Budget Nun.").

The LAO found, as always, some issues. And it made a lot of assumptions that differ from proponents (for example, on the tobacco tax). Nonetheless, the report reinforces the overall soundness of the approach and financing for health care reform.

Any plan -- particularly single-payer or doing nothing -- contains major risks. Just as insurers shouldn't cherry pick who they cover, opponents of health care reform shouldn't cherry pick comments from the LAO report to help make their case for maintaining the status quo.

Perhaps the single-payer folks will put SB 840 up for the same type of scrutiny? Don't count on it.