Party convention hinders key California budget vote

Reuters ^ | Mar 17, 2011 | Jim Christie

[fifedom]

Potentially standing in the way of a vote on extending the tax increases is the Republican Party party convention this weekend. There is little point for Democrats who control the legislature to schedule a vote on a tax measure with activists on their way to the convention demanding that Republican lawmakers live up to their anti-tax rhetoric analysts said. "The more probable outcome is that they'll wait until after the convention," said Jon Coupal,

[fifedom]

It looks like the sellout by the "Gang of 5" will come down next week. I doubt that the Convention will even pass the measure to censure them next year. They did not do it to the "Gang of 6" in 2009.

[forgotten man]

Any Republican who caves in to Browns bribes has been guaranteed to face a primary challenger. All California legislators have safe seats, including the Republicans. The five Republicans who are talking to Brown might not want to lose the support of their party. This is not Schwarzenneger’s party. I think the California Republicans have more spine than the D.C. Republicans.

[tflabo]

Hang tough GOP 5-—make the Dems ram it down the Ca. throats all by themselves. The party of No more taxes can at least have a spine.

[trapped_in_LA]

Well we can always hope that the voters reject the tax extension. Oh wait this is California we are talking about!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks fifedom.

There is little point for Democrats who control the legislature to schedule a vote on a tax measure with activists on their way to the convention demanding that Republican lawmakers live up to their anti-tax rhetoric analysts said.

[marsh2]

They have positioned it so there will be enormous pressure on the Repubs. to cave.

They have already passed the legislation sending the “non-non-non” state prisoners back to the counties. Or little rural county will get 70-100 sent back. Their recidivism rate is about 70%. Our total jail capacity is only 107 and it is already full all the time with felons. (Misdemeanors have work parties, ankle bracelet monitoring or wait for nine months to serve their sentence.) Our probation officers are already monitoring about 500 people each.

Without the passage of the tax portion, there will be no COPS grants or rural sheriff garnts that currently help to fund the department. Currently it costs $143 a day to jail someone. If the state gets the funds to pay the counties, it is only about $77 per person. [Note, fewer funds to the county General Fund, more responsibility.]

At the same time, they have passed on to the counties a greater share of the cost of paying welfare entitlements. [Note: no funds to the County more fiscal responsibility.]

At the very same time, lower sales and property tax revenues, ewlimination of Williamson Act subventions and higher insurance and retirement costs have already created a $2 million shortfall in the General Fund for next year, necessitating further layoffs in sheriff’s deputies, probation officers, the D.A. etc. (We have already layed off 25% of our General Fund employess.)

This is a recipe for dangerous fiscal disaster for many California Counties.

[concentric circles]

I will be very surprised if this goes down any differently than it has for many years past. The Assembly and Senate Republicans will make a great show of resistance to continued reckless spending. They will convince everyone that they have really dug in their heels this time.

Then, at the last possible moment, the minimum number of Republicans needed will peel off and enable the prearranged deal to reach fruition. The apparent miscreants will be those who will suffer least from going along with the other party, they may even stand to gain more than they might lose.

There will be a great gnashing of teeth in a tremendous show of frustration by the rest of the Republicans who will give every appearance of not having participated in an elaborate charade.

In the end the minority party will have gained a miserly sop or two; the fiscal degeneracy will continue; the debt will have been kicked down the road once again; the Governor will loudly trumpet that he has achieved a great victory for California; all will contend that a wise solution has been reached in spite of the fact that the entire process will have to be repeated next year. The political status quo of Sacramento will be preserved and all will be cloaked in the filthy robes of malfeasance.

[Amerigomag]

Any Republican who caves in to Browns bribes has been guaranteed to face a primary challenger.

There are no more partisan primaries in California. There is no penalty for betrayal. Democrats can vote across party lines in the new (Prop 14) primary system.

[fifedom]

I will be very surprised if this goes down any differently than it has for many years past.

I agree with you and it is sickening.

The apparent miscreants will be those who will suffer least

As I have posted here before, this was the case for the sellouts in 2009. Two of them, Maldonado and Villines, won statewide primaries and were the Republican candidates for Lt. Gov. and Insurance Commissioner. They lost but so did every other Republican. The others got $150K/year jobs from Schwarzenegger on the innumerable commissions, elected to a cushy county job and elected to the Gay Hall of Fame /sarc

With the open primary there is even less reason for party discipline. So, I repeat my prediction that the sellout will take place early the coming week.