California's worthless Legislature

[bemildred]

As the final embarrassing days ofCalifornia's special legislative session slip away with no state budget solution in sight, the 40 members of the state Senate and 80 members of the Assembly have once again proved the wisdom of my call to abolish the Legislature. They are a worthless group that individually and collectively have ignored the state's toughest problems. On Tuesday's budget vote, some lawmakers didn't even bother to show up.

The Democrats' budget bill didn't get the required two-thirds votes to pass and the Republicans didn't offer up an alternative. This is the best our lawmakers can offer: A budget bill that had no chance of passing, and childish sniping by both sides.

The Democrats wouldn't even fix sick leave and overtime abuse that costs the state close to $100 million a year, and the Republicans could have had their spending cap, but they changed their demand to an "economic stimulus," which showed they weren't serious about getting a budget agreement in the first place.

Meanwhile, the budget gap grows, and California could run out of money in February. Right now, the deficit will be about $28 billion over the next 20 months. State government is going to collapse and legislators can't get out of town soon enough. Good idea. Let's get rid of them all.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/27/EDPL14CSK7.DTL&type=politics

[CreekDog]

1. it takes 54 votes in the Assembly and 27 in the Senate to pass a budget

don't blame all the Democrats for the fact that no more than 1 Republican in each chamber will vote for anything but a tax increase.

Proposition 13 imposed a 2/3 vote requirement in the legislature in order to pass a budget. 1/3 of the legislature has been holding the state hostage over any budget issue.

and you can't fix a budget problem that does nothing on the revenue side.

i'm tired of this "pox on both of their houses" crap. assign f-ing blame.

[bemildred]

2. Whom did you want to blame?

The public or the Republican obstructionists? Or both?

I do think the problem is a combination of Prop. 13 and the super-majority rules for passing ordinary business (taxes).

But you really have to go back to the fact that voters voted for this situation, made it part of the state Constitution. Prop 13 was sold as a remedy to the problem of little old ladies being kicked out of their homes for failure to pay tax. It was a real problem, but it was not necessary to take a meat-axe to it, which is what Prop 13 did.

[CreekDog]

3. Republicans AND Prop. 13

as for voters, Prop. 13 was passed 30 years ago. Most voters never got a chance to vote on Prop. 13. Lot of good it will do to blame voters.

[bemildred]

4. Well, that is another thing.

What business have we in tieing the hands of future generations in that way? I was there back then, allow me to apologize.

[Tumbulu]

5. Why don't we work to get a new proposition allowing the legislature to raise taxes

with a simple majority or a 60/40 majority rather than the super majority now required?

[bemildred]

6. Well, the question is, could you pass it?

I have my doubts about that.

[Tumbulu]

7. If all it takes is a simple majority, I think so.

Especially if the argument is made that the repugs always want to raise regressive taxes like sales taxes. And that for the legislature to be able to raise income taxes, they need this amendment. Perhaps people could see that it is a choice between sales taxes/ licensing fees vs raising the income tax on the top tier income earners to fund essential services, I bet that it could pass.

It is certainly worth a try.

[bemildred]

8. Well, I'm up for it.

The present situation is **expletive deleted **. This state used to be a beacon, finest education system anywhere, great public services, great place to live.

But I want to win the first time. I think you are right, it's a matter of how you frame it, or allow it to be framed. And it will be a dog-fight, a mud-fight.

[davidinalameda]

9. with Prop 11 in place

a lot of those worthless legislators will be out the door

[bemildred]

10. I hope so. nt

[Oerdin]

11. This is the result of gerrymandering.

As a result of gerrymandered districts only extremists on both sides get elected and extremists almost never compromise. Fortunately, since prop 11 passed we'll get more moderates elected but it will be something like 2012 until things start to change.

[anigbrowl]

12. I'm glad others agree

I got my ass chewed but good on other DU forums for supporting prop 11, and told that I was a willing tool of the republicans etc., by people who don't even live in CA and said themselves that they hadn't bothered to read it because they' didn't need to to know it was a scam'.

Perhaps we can balance the budget by not printing and mailing as many of those voter information guides, since we are apparently awash in psychics.

[davidinalameda]

13. I voted for it

as much as I want to see Democrats stay in power, we need leadership and right now, we're not getting it from very many members of either party