CA: Senate President Pro Tem John Burton Bolts Big 5 Meeting

Orange Co. Register ^ | 6/11/03 | Tom Chroneau - AP

[Mr. Jeeves]

Well, they caused the deficit solely by increasing spending, didn't they? LOL! The guy is a loon.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I need more finger exercises, or a bigger keyboard!

[CA Conservative]

Legally, if no budget is passed, no money can be spent, unless an emergency spending bill is passed in the interim. Any such emergency spending bill can pass with a simple majority, but it can only extend current expenditures at the same level - no increases for inflation, etc., and no new programs.

To make things really interesting, the state Supreme Court has ruled that if no budget is in place by July 1, all state workers can only be paid federal minimum wage until a budget is enacted. There are a few exceptions that are kinda strange, such as anyone working even one hour of overtime must receive their full pay plus overtime for that pay period. Also, the state controller has said he would pay all state employees regardless of the court ruling.

[heleny]

There are a few exceptions that are kinda strange, such as anyone working even one hour of overtime must receive their full pay plus overtime for that pay period. Also, the state controller has said he would pay all state employees regardless of the court ruling.

What? Can one work overtime one day and then take off the rest of the week and still get full pay (not the minimum wage)?

I know hourly workers can't work 9 hours one day to make up for 7 hours another day without incurring overtime wages, but why would paying for overtime without a budget be any different from paying regular wages without a budget? Shouldn't they all be minimum wage, overtime or not, until we get a budget?

[CA Conservative]

We have a crazy Supreme Court here in Kalifornia... no one said the ruling made sense.