8-3-07 Frustrations Mount as State Budget Bill Fails by One Vote

Volume 20 For Publication Date: August 3, 2007 No. 17

Frustrations Mount as State Budget Bill Fails by One Vote

Rumors swirling around the Capitol late on August 1, 2007, proved to be just that—rumors that did not translate into fact.

The evening session produced one more vote for the Budget when Senator Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) broke rank with his colleagues to vote for the Budget, which is now 33 days late. Maldonado, who usually does not speak during Floor Session, raised his microphone and stated, “I think a vote for this budget is a vote for a fiscally responsible plan and, No. 2, it does not raise taxes. If I lose my election because of this, that’s a price I’m willing to pay.”

He was the lone Republican with that assessment.

In response to the failure of the Republican Caucus to deliver the final vote needed for passage, Governor Schwarzenegger released the following statement:

I am very disappointed the Senate failed to pass the budget. The origin of this stalemate was a bold call by Republicans to eliminate the operating deficit this year. I committed to doing exactly that by vetoing $700 million from the budget with my line item authority.

President pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) clearly shares the Governor’s frustration. At the end of session, Perata released Senators so they could return home to their districts.

“I think this is a Republican problem that is going to have to be solved by Republicans . . . So, I’m done.”

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger held an 11:00 a.m. press conference on August 2, 2007, to express his disappointment that the Senate was unable to pass the overdue State Budget. Leading up to the August 1 evening vote, the Governor had met with Senate Republicans and pledged to use his blue pencil to reduce the operating budget deficit to zero. With this assurance, Schwarzenegger felt that Senate Republicans had a Budget that they wanted.

The Governor, indicating his frustration, stated that he doesn’t know what it will take to get Republicans to vote for the budget and said, “I hope they know.”

—Terry Anderson, Dave Heckler, and Angelo Williams

[Editor’s Note: The weather has been flirting with 100 degree temperatures. Conventional wisdom holds that the Legislature cannot pass a State Budget until the temperature exceeds 100 degrees for five days in a row. Despite a few days above 100, there hasn’t been a sustained heat wave of five or more days. If it will help get the additional Republican vote, we will hope for Hot August Days.]