Posted on 09/01/2002 1:29:10 AM PDT by heleny
Calif. Legislators OK State Budget
Sunday, September 1, 2002, 3:57 AM ET
By ALEXA H. BLUTH, Associated Press Writer
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The California Assembly ended more than 60 days of standoff and approved an overdue budget early Sunday that includes a total of about $9 billion in spending cuts and about $2.4 billion in revenue increases to help fill the state's gaping deficit.
The deal reached in the final hours of the legislative session abandons plans to raise taxes on smokers and drivers to help fill the $23.6 billion shortfall.
Lawmakers hooted, applauded and high-fived after the Assembly voted 54-26 in favor of the budget just enough for the required two-thirds majority shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday.
"Tonight I believe we've done it," said Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson, a Democrat who brokered the deal and presided over the longest legislative budget impasse in California. "Although it is not a perfect bridge, it allows us to find some ground where we can at least, for a moment, stand together."
After a two-hour delay on procedural motions, the state Senate concurred with the Assembly's new $99 billion plan and bills needed to enact it early Sunday and the budget was sent to Gov. Gray Davis two months into the fiscal year.
Davis issued a statement Saturday night, commending lawmakers for adopting a budget "in these difficult times."
"Their dedicated efforts led to the adoption of a budget that reduces spending while protecting public education, public safety, vital programs for seniors and health insurance for children," Davis said.
The vote ended the impasse between Republican and Democratic Assembly leaders over whether to raise taxes or carve into programs to fill in the budget deficit.
Four Republicans who refused for months to supply the votes needed to pass a budget by the required two-thirds majority finally said Saturday they could accept concessions made by Democrats, including scrapping vehicle and cigarette tax plans.
Assemblyman John Campbell, the Assembly Republicans' main budget negotiator, said Republicans consider the deal a victory in the area of taxes.
"The straight-up tax increases have been taken out of this," he said.
From an earlier post on another thread, two of them are:
Dick Dickerson (Redding)
Keith Richman (Northridge)
We need a tough governor to use his line-item veto to reduce spending even more. Davis definitely will not, since he wanted the higher spending levels. Bill Simon says he supports smaller government, so he should do a much better job than Davis. None of the other candidates has a chance.
Flying monkeys, butt, etc..
Well that sure explains the new SUV tax that Grayed Out Davis wanted!!!! It is amusing, living in Los Angeles this year, with CLOWN DAVIS at the helm.....
Gawd, No! That's all this kooky state needs...another wacko like Jesse "the mind" Ventura.
According to Briggs his yes vote was approved by the Republican assembly leadership because he is not returning to the assembly and his vote could help Republicans running for re-election should they have been forced to cast a yes vote because of Briggs' promise to his constituants to hold the line this year (ie; he fell on his sword for the Republican party).
Briggs admitts that in the process he won several economic consessions for his district and a favor for one of his large contributors (a state highway sign will be placed on a State Route 99 exit advertising the commercial business owned by the contributor).
heleny -- thanks for posting this!
calgov2002:
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If he hadn't made the "sacrifice," maybe we could have gotten a few more spending cuts.
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