Aug 03 2010
Governator Desperate For Legacy, Risks California Budget
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a fiscal state of emergency last week amid a political stalemate over the 2010 – 2011 state budget. In the last few years the California legislature has routinely been unable to pass a budget by the June 1st deadline, and this year negotiations have been especially contentious. Recently Schwarzenegger said if a budget that he likes does not land on his desk, he may allow California to go without one altogether until the end of his term, in 2011. Reuters reported that upon declaring a state of emergency the Governor re-instated three-day-a-month furloughs for state employees. A round of these un-paid days-off had just expired. Re-instating furloughs is seen by many as a punitive measure intended to pressure lawmakers into action, and labor unions into renegotiating their contracts. Reuters reported that employees belonging to labor unions that recently reduced pension benefits and renegotiated contracts with the State will be exempt from the new round of furloughs. The state may also begin issuing IOUs to its vendors this month. With only six months left in office, Schwarzenegger is demanding big changes that will have a lasting impact. For the LA Times, Shane Goldmacher reported that the Governor has set his sights on “[overhauling] the public pension system, the state tax code, and the budgeting process”. Republicans and Democrats are blaming each other over the failure to pass a budget. Last week state Controller John Chiang said “Every passing day of political paralysis leads us closer to a completely avoidable fiscal meltdown.”
GUEST: Robert Cruickshank, Public Policy Director at the Courage Campaign
Read Robert Cruickshank’s writings at www.calitics.com. Find out more about the Courage Campaign at www.couragecampaign.org.
4 Responses to “Governator Desperate For Legacy, Risks California Budget”
Do these people and the Governor not realize they they hold so many peoples lives in their hands with this budget? If they don’t pass this budget and soon, I don’t get paid until they do. Then what? Who is going to pay my rent? My bills? I already live small paycheck to small paycheck, because jobs are scarce around here. But I am doing the best I can for now and I am barely making it.And now if they don’t pass the budget in time I don’t get paid and I will lose everything I do have…..So yeah you jerks go ahead and take your sweet time while the rest of us have to suffer. tyvm
This effects so many people. Not only do people not get money from work but us who are trying to make are life better also use some of that money to live off of. Ya’ll need to get it together because you expect us to!!!!!!!
My family also relies on a passed budget. My wife provides childcare for up to 14 children a day in low income families and continues to do so in the hopes that the legislature gets its act together and pays her. She has done this for the last 10 years and for the last 3 or 4 we have to worry and stress that everything we have worked so hard for is not lost. Our family could not keep our home on only one income and since my wife’s business is run out of this home, she would lose her job also. Something needs to be done and I urge the media to focus alot of attention on Sacramento so they feel the heat as much as all of us do. mbrc
The honest to God truth.It’s all about them and their egos.If they really cared about the working people they would have this passed long time ago.I will never believe in politicians as long as I am alive. My prayers go out to all of you.Just hang in there we have something more powerful then politicians watching our backs.