Posted on 03/11/2006 8:43:22 AM PST by NormsRevenge
Edited on 03/11/2006 9:04:10 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
Hopes dimmed for putting a massive infrastructure bond plan on the June ballot when the state Senate failed early today to muster a two-thirds vote on a $47.3 billion package authored by Democratic leaders that Republicans denounced as a "sham."he 24-12 Senate floor vote at 12:30 a.m., which did not include any Republican support, fell three votes short of the 27 votes necessary to keep the plan moving toward the Assembly and possibly derailed efforts to put it on the June primary ballot.
"We're now talking about November," Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, said on the floor, of a new timetable for California voters to decide on an infrastructure plan.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, however, released a statement a! fter the Senate action saying that he remains "encouraged by the tremendous progress we have made" and that he "will work throughout the weekend" on a bond plan that presumably would be ready for the June primary.
The Democratic plan included nearly $19 billion for transportation, more than $13.4 billion for K-12 schools and $4.15 billion for flood protection and levee repair, among other items.
Excerpt. Continued Sacramento Bee
The Schwarzenegger/Democrat plan was soooo bad that even a Democrat Senator voted against it.
Not a single Republican Senator would support the Wilsonegger gang's plan. Bless their little conservative souls.
From Bloomberg:
Republican lawmakers complained that they were not given actual paper copies of the proposal when it was introduced shortly after 10:30 p.m. local time. The vote was called after midnight. The Republicans also opposed bond money Democrats proposed for park land and public transit."Nearly $50 billion and you only have one copy of the document and you bring it to us at midnight on the night of the deadline," Republican San Diego Senator Dennis Hollingsworth said. "It's a shame."
A tiny glimmer of light in this dark place (California). You gotta love those feisty Republicans up there -- few but mighty.
They will be cajoled, threatened and publicly embarrassed by both the Hurst/McClatchy/Tribune syndicates and the Wilsonegger gang's crew, Schwarzenegger, Ackerman and McCarthy. My heart goes out to them.
Thank you Republicans. Keep the fight going. Never never surrender to these commies & a Benedict AHrnold governor.
(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.")
We need to thank every member who voted against this bond.
Who was the dem that voted against it?
AYES Alarcon Alquist Bowen Cedillo Chesbro Ducheny Dunn Escutia Figueroa Florez Kehoe Kuehl Lowenthal Machado Migden Murray Ortiz Perata Romero Scott Simitian Soto Speier Torlakson NOES Aanestad Ackerman Ashburn Cox Denham Dutton Hollingsworth Maldonado Margett McClintock Poochigian Runner ABSENT, ABSTAINING, OR NOT VOTING Battin Morrow Vincent VacancySource: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_0101-0150/ab_134_vote_20060311_1249AM_sen_floor.html
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