Posted on 02/20/2009 3:40:56 PM PST by SmithL
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger formally ended months of political fighting Friday by signing a new state budget - but not before taking another shot at constitutional officers.
Among $1.3 billion in vetoes, Schwarzenegger sliced budgets of the attorney general, controller, treasurer, secretary of state and Board of Equalization by 10 percent to compensate for savings that would have occurred from furloughing employees.
Schwarzenegger chopped even more from the budget of Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, a potential gubernatorial candidate in 2010, slicing his budget by two thirds - from $2.78 million to $1.04 million, saying he did so "to ensure that sufficient resources are reserved for key programs within state government. In these tough times, we cannot continue to fund the Office of the Lieutenant Governor at the level provided in recent years."
The unusual scope of the reduction, however, which will force Garamendi to lay off much of his relatively small staff, may have been payback for his sharp criticism of the budget deal that Schwarzenegger had worked out with Democratic legislative leaders. Garamendi's complaints about the deal's spending cuts have been widely seen as currying favor with unions and other pro-spending groups as he seeks the Democratic nomination for governor next year.
Schwarzenegger did not, however, inflict the same budgetary punishment on Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, a Republican candidate for governor, who has been sharply critical of the budget deal's $12-plus billion in new taxes.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
It is GOOD to be King!
ANYTHING but reducing taxation. And businesses and individuals who are the state of Taxifornia, are still leaving in droves —
IIRC, that is the CA IRS? If so, it is truth in advertising, equality in misery.
I criticize him for signing the budget, but it is good to see him bitch slap a couple of people.
Or allowing drilling for oil.
Or deporting illegal aliens.
BINGO!
Aw shucks. Garamendi lost his state-funded campaign staff. /sarcasm>
I can’t wait for the next Cali who tells me how wonderful the weather and skiing are.
It will be bloody hell.
I’m a Californian; I will now lose $800/yr by the reduction in the child tax credit (I have 4 kids). Not to mention the other new taxes, which will bring my estimated yearly loss to $1400.
However, at least Prop 13 has allowed our property taxes to stay low.
Still, I have had it. No fires in fireplaces, no cell phones in the car, no this, no that. . .no freedom.
The great CA weather is not cutting it anymore. Besides, soon we will have 3 teenaged boys who can shovel snow, and I can handle humidity (have lived with it before, although it will be a shocker to my kids, who have never even been in a thunderstorm!).
My husband and I are making tentative plans to move to Northern Virginia by summer 2010. I’m a federal employee and I have much better employment opportunities in DC. My husband works in high-tech. I’m looking forward to the excellent schools there.
Any VA Freepers here to welcome us?
the weather and skiing are just great.. theGoverment of calif sucks moose meat
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.