Posted on 03/06/2006 6:51:36 PM PST by NormsRevenge
With the deadline for getting an infrastructure bond on the June ballot now only 4 days away, Democrats appear to be pretty close to an agreement amongst themselves on what a bond proposal should look like... and they now say the burden is on Republicans.
Senate President Don Perata (D-Oakland) said this afternoon that he's agreed to increase the price tag of a bond proposal to something close to the $30 billion proposed by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-LA). Perata had originally proposed borrowing less than half that amount, but says he's been convinced to up the ante.
"We're very close," he said. Perata and Nunez met earlier in the day in hopes of creating a single Democratic proposal focused on schools, transportation, affordable housing, and water issues like levee repair.
That proposal would be less than half the size of the bond offering suggested by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In fact, the governor's proposal appears to have grown by a few billion bucks in recent days to about $71.5 billion, after he admitted that some anticipated federal funds for levee repair are unlikely to materialize.
Perata also said today that he wants one big bond, rather than Schwarzenegger's suggestion for multiple smaller bonds stretched out over future election cycles.
But the Senate leader's most pointed comment on all things infrastructure was his belief that a deal before the Friday deadline hinges on the relationship between the governor and Assembly Republicans. Perata said that it'll be up to Schwarzenegger to get his fellow Republicans in the lower house onboard, where skepticism over any large borrowing plan remains high.
"I can't get the [GOP] votes for him," said Perata, adding: "If the governor talks to Republicans in the Assembly... I don't think it's impossible for us to get a deal by Friday."
How will the gang squelch the voice of Republican Assemblymen without their enforcer in charge.
Look for mark ups in the bonding projects to directly benefit key Republican Assembly holdouts.
Who will cave in? Stay tuned for the latest list of shame coming to a conservative blog near you.
You'd think with all the cheap labor flooding Calif. there be plenty of revenue being generated from all the benefits liberal immigration brings to the economy (this is the common mantra from pro advocates including Bush.) What happened with this darling justification for liberal immigration that says its good for the economy? If it is so good why is debt and borrowing increasing?
I guess I ought to post the 'Oh not this crap again' guy! poster.
BTW. What became of Dan's Minister of Information over at photobucket.com ?
That photo is simply priceless and absolutely iconic. I miss it. It never gets old.
From the other thread.
Schwarzenegger needs the votes of at least two Republicans in the Senate and six in the Assembly to muster the two-thirds majorities required to pass a bond bill.
Well this should be easy, all he needs to do is one project like widening I-5 in L.A. County and he has the votes. Seeing as it is a behind closed doors deal that results in a take it or leave it vote, I expect corruption in the Billions.
He already has Ackerman. Wouldn't it be ironic if the other capitulating Senator was McClintock?
Wow, that really depresses the hell out of me....
Shall we start filling in the names? Maybe we should start a pool to see who can guess the most correct?
The two Republicans in the Senate will be Ackerman and Maldonado.
The Assembly six is a bit tougher; my guess is probably Richman, Horton, Daucher, Spitzer, Bogh & Blakesley
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v387/elkgrovedan/InformationMinister.jpg
What's your take. Will he cooperate with the gang. Specifically, will he cooperate in circumventing rank and file Republican legislators during budget negotiations?
I don't think McClintock is currently a State Senator, is he? He was just State Controller prior to the Recall election, wasn't he?
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
1978 - Graduated Cum Laude from UCLA earning a B.A. degree in Political Science.
1978 - 1982 Served as Chief of Staff to Senator Ed Davis
1982 - 1992 State Assemblyman
1992 - 1994 Director of the Center for the California Taxpayer
1994 - 1996 Director of Economic and Regulatory Affairs for the Claremont Institute's Golden State Center for Policy Studies
1996 - 2000 State Assemblyman
2000 - 2006 State Senator
Failed in the following bids:
1992 - 24th Congressional District
1994 - State Controller
2002 - State Controller
Niello would be awful. But right now the battle is between George Plescia from San Diego and Mimi Walters from Orange County.
Well I sure was off the mark with that one!!! That's what I get for relying on recollection, rather than Google!!!
Google is our friend but I sure wish it would forget what we asked for after it helps us find it.
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