Senate Leader Proposes Bipartisan Budget Reform Panel
In a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger, Senate pro Tem Don Perata (D–Oakland) proposed that a panel be formed to address the underlying problems of the State Budget. The pro Tem suggested that the panel include the four leaders of the Legislature, the Director of Finance, and the Legislative Analyst.
Senator Perata cited a number of factors that have led to what he considers to be a permanent budget crisis. “There is no debate. The state budget is fatally broken,” concludes the pro Tem as he calls for this unprecedented review. Among the reasons for California’s Budget failure, his letter cites the following:
· A State Constitution which has been shaped through the ballot box by special interests, resulting in conflicting mandates and artificial constraints that limit policy makers ability to set state spending priorities
· Uncontrollable cost increases in numerous programs, including energy, health care, congressional mandates, federal court mandates on corrections, and population-driven costs
· A Legislature whose members lack experience and historical perspective
The ultimate goal of this panel would be “to propose changes necessary to align the state budget with contemporary fiscal and political realities, and the expectations of those we serve.” The pro Tem acknowledges that the Budget problem will not be solved in a single year, but rather the panel would develop a multi-year plan to achieve fiscal solvency.
While the pro Tem’s letter did not discuss the two-thirds vote requirement to adopt a State Budget—a condition shared by only two other states in the nation and often cited as the primary reason for California’s budget delays—he indicated that nothing can be exempt from consideration. Presumably, this issue will be a key point of discussion if this panel is convened.
[Posted to the Internet 8/29/07] —Robert Miyashiro