Posted on 05/04/2009 8:57:33 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO — A month from now, lawmakers could be right back to where they were in February: locked in partisan gridlock, unable to resolve a gaping budget deficit.
A defeat of six of the seven measures on the May 19 special election ballot — a good possibility, according to recent polls — could mean a return to the Capitol's pattern of futile negotiations between Democrats, who hold large legislative majorities but little sway, and minority Republicans, who hold the last word on budgets.
If nothing else, political observers say, such a scenario could present an opening for Democrats to unmask what they believe to be the heart of the Legislature's dysfunction: the two-thirds vote in both houses to pass a budget, as required by the state constitution since 1937.
Lowering that threshold to a simple majority is "the next big fight we need to win," Treasurer Bill Lockyer said at the recent state Democratic Party convention, where delegates identified the two-thirds requirement as the most pressing issue among 117 they considered.
California is one of only three states — alongside Rhode Island and Arkansas — to require a two-thirds vote on budgets. Only five states, including California, have a two-thirds requirement for taxes.
Strategists and party officials say that they expect to put the issue before voters on the November 2010 ballot, perhaps lending it extra profile during the gubernatorial Advertisement campaign.
(Excerpt) Read more at contracostatimes.com ...
between blowing up Prop. 13 or the 2/3rd vote.. they actually have a better shot at the latter.
Of course, passage of the repeal of either would make living in Cuba or Zimbabwe mighty enticing.
Remember California folks, NO on 1A-1E, YES on 1F, and tell a friend too. If they’re not detail oriented, then NO on everything is ok.
We need a yes vote on 1-D to right the wrong of prop 98, way back when...
Yep, they have just gotta make the repubs irrelevant.
The way I look at it, 1A-1F help them balance the budget via shell games. I want them all to fail so there’s more pressure on them to cut spending. I know that’s a pipe dream of course.
If they want to restore Prop 98 education spending (I think you’re talking about 1B here not 1D) they can do it in the budget without these blame-the-voter shell games.
No, I want to end prop 98 forever.
We need to stop throwing our money at the failed schools, and the teacher unions.
If the people of California and America in general give up the two thirds vote, Californians and Americans in general are gonna be excessively taxed!
About all 2/3rds does is allow the dems to scapegoat conscientious Republicans, while bribing little turds like Abel Maldonado. They’ve wrecked the state with 2/3rds, maybe without it,our legislators would finally act responsibly.
now we got mail in ONLY voting in localities. the local school district is having it own special election to a property tax increase. it is by mail only, and the only issue. it is not on a regular election day, nor is it widely reported in the press. In fact the last time they did this a few yeara ago, I found out about it after the election!
not only that, the new tax is exempted for 65 years and older folks (but they can still vote to increase their nieghbors tax) forget it if you are disabled and not yet 65 years old, no exemption for you (so much for helping those on fixed income, as the supporters of this tax say, who says only senoirs, and all seniors are on a “fixed” income)
this is a gross end run around the protections of prop 13. also only 55% is required to pass.
we have already lost prop 13 protection. remember that fixed tax increases to no more that 2% per year, this new tax will ad another 2% for me, above the prop 13 limits. this new tax basically doubles the tax increase allowed by prop 13, does NOT require the 66.66% vote to pass, and exempts some folks based on age.
I hate these taxing demoncrats
Really? I hadn’t heard of this. It doesn’t sound like it should be legal, but that won’t stop them.
At this point, I usually say Land Rental Taxation would solve the problem. However, that encourages some crazies around here to call me names, so I’ll skip that.
Given what occurred after the Prop 8 vote, does it really matter how things work out? Seems to me that Jerry “Moonbeam” and others will simply ignore the results anyhow!
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