Posted on 12/13/2006 9:46:20 AM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO - Voters may not face another round of huge public works bonds in two years, as originally planned, according to state officials who gathered Tuesday to eye effective use of a $37 billion bond package approved last month.
While acknowledging the measures as a down payment on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's $200 billion infrastructure repair and construction plan, legislative representatives said there may not be a need for another transportation bond proposal as soon as 2008.
The $20 billion transportation bond voters approved Nov. 7 -- together with a voter-approved measure that ensures gasoline taxes earmarked for use on roads are always used for that purpose -- may provide enough money.
"The ongoing revenue stream may well be sufficient to sustain our transportation plans," said Rick Simpson, an aide to Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles.
The need for additional bonds for other uses, such as school construction and housing, will depend on myriad factors, officials agreed at a forum sponsored by the San Francisco-based Public Policy Institute of California.
Dan Chick, chief of staff for the Senate Republican Caucus, said that "the bigger question is not when's the next bond, but when can we afford it?"
"For us, it's more of a question how much we can afford and still have a reasonable debt ratio," he said.
But lawmakers are only half the political equation in Sacramento.
Schwarzenegger aide Adam Mendelsohn said the governor wants not only "to address the next level of infrastructure (bonds) but how we implement the first round of bonds effectively."
"He is very eager to get construction going and put accountability in place to make sure the bonds are being spent wisely," Mendelsohn said. "He (Schwarzenegger) always says, 'I want to see cranes everywhere.'"
Officials agreed that underlying any infrastructure debates will be a clear message from voters that was captured in the latest poll by the Public Policy Institute of California: Californians want continued bipartisan cooperation and results from the Republican governor and Democrat-dominated Legislature.
In the education sector, officials expect there to be another schools bond issue of an undetermined size in 2008.
Affordable housing advocates want a long-term funding source other than bonds.
Competing for attention with public works will be the pressing issues of health care and prison reform.
Schwarzenegger is scheduled next month in his State of the State address to unveil a broad health care plan that slashes the number of uninsured Californians. State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, pitched his own $5 billion to $7 billion health care proposal Tuesday.
The conflicting Schwarzenegger and legislative plans are expected to go to conference committees, where officials will attempt to hammer out differences.
Sufficient? Yes or No?
Will the bond money be used wisely? Yes or No?
No and No.
I have faith that the California politicians will find some new species that needs saving, a new ethnic group that needs protection, a new road that needs to be built, and a myriad of other useless projects that are useful only to buy votes.
Sure, it will probably be used to expand needle exchange programs amongst other uses.
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