Jerry Brown's budget proposals pass committees

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 2/19/11 | Marisa Lagos, Wyatt Buchanan, Mihir Zaveri, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

[SmithL]

Less than six weeks after Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled his budget proposal, a nearly identical plan passed key committees in both houses of the Legislature on Friday.

The plan to close what is now a $26.6 billion budget deficit includes deep cuts to the state's education, health and welfare programs and a proposal to place $14 billion in tax extensions and increases before voters in June.

Lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled Assembly and state Senate budget committees spared some social programs that were on Brown's chopping block, including medical care for the elderly and poor, and welfare for impoverished families.

Brown praised lawmakers for their swift action, and said he hopes to have a final plan before the entire Legislature by March 10. First, however, the plan moves to a conference committee, where lawmakers will work to reconcile differences between the Assembly and Senate versions of the budget.

The tax proposals received no Republican support in either house. Some spending cuts, meanwhile, received GOP support in the Senate but not in the Assembly.

The action Friday marked the first time in years that the two budget committees approved most of the governor's plan. The committees routinely rejected former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposals to slash spending, at times calling his ideas for cutting health and welfare mean-spirited and cruel.

Still plenty painful

However, Democrats in both houses and the governor himself said Friday that the spending reductions - which include a 48-month limit for adults collecting welfare, deep cuts that will result in the closure of some state parks and a $1 billion reduction to higher education spending - were painful.

Lawmakers rejected the welfare limit for children and also turned back caps on doctor visits that advocates warned would result in death for some Californians.

"Without revenues, these cuts could be twice as bad

[SmithL]

They can pass the budget without any Republican votes, they just can't raise taxes on their own.

[SmithL]

Birds gotta fly,

Fish gotta swim,

and RATS gotta tax!

[ColdOne]

As a former Californian, it is interesting to see these events.

[bill1952]

and a proposal to place $14 billion in tax extensions and increases before voters in June.

LOL and when that fails what will they do?
What value is this fantasy then?

[I am Richard Brandon]

Sue the State Government for discrimination AGAINST Republicans. Until the State employment numbers reflect the proportions of the public at large, they should be liable for daily fines.
BENEFIT: This might have the effect of bringing some common sense into local government.
SIDE EFFECT: Tie the Dems up in knots trying to overturn this.

[Windflier]

As a former Californian, it is interesting to see these events.

Same here. I'm going on my sixth year as an ex-pat Californian, and have watched the developments back home with a mixture of resignation and sadness.

I spent a good deal of time a couple of weeks back, detailing to my less-than-well-informed brother that he'd better get himself armed and prepared for the coming collapse of the state infrastructure. I don't believe it's any longer a matter of "if", but of "when".

Bless his heart, he still thinks that sunshine and rainbows will come up tomorrow.

[4rcane]

jerry brown is better gov than Schwarzenegger

[JSDude1]

More IOU’s.

J.S.

[bill1952]

erry brown is better gov than Schwarzenegger

LOL Thats like saying that being 2 degrees aboves pond scum is better than being 1 degree above pond scum.

[AuntB]

“which include a 48-month limit for adults collecting welfare”

I bet it doesn’t include the CASH they hand out to elderly illegal aliens...often more than SSI pays!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2330541/posts

[umgud]

Cut regulations
Cut public pension costs
Cut size of gov’t
Cut aid to illegals

Then we can talk.

[ColdOne]

So do you think Jerry will get his tax increases?

[o2bfree]

Jerry Brown might be more fiscally Conservative than the RINO Schwarzenegger.

When did Schwarzenegger make cuts this large?

[SmithL]

Schwarzenegger proposed cuts, but the Rats never incorporated them in their budget, and he made only minor cuts with his line-item vetoes.

[stevio]

Ain’t that something?

[Windflier]

So do you think Jerry will get his tax increases?

Given that his average constituency are of the parasitic class, I'd say he's got a pretty good chance of getting his tax increases passed.

Raising taxes on the greedy rich is only "fair", you know.

[Windflier]

jerry brown is better gov than Schwarzenegger

Huh? Jerry Brown will get the compliance of the legislature simply because he's a Dem, even though he will put forth the SAME solutions and policies as his Republican predecessor.

Same thing happens in Washington under a Democrat president with a Dem Congress. You don't hear a peep out of the MSM when they do the SAME things that the preceding Republican administration did.

If it weren't for double standards, Democrats wouldn't have any standards at all.

[fifedom]

So do you think Jerry will get his tax increases?

Here is my prediction: The Pubbies will not vote to have an election to increase taxes so the Dems will pass it on a majority vote. The Pubbies will take it to court where it will be tied up for years. In the meantime the Dems will hold the election, Republicans will stay home as usual, and the taxes will pass. Eventually the Courts will say it was all illegal but by then all the money will have been spent.

More business as usual in the California Banana Republic.

[ColdOne]

That sounds about right.