Dutton: 'No on this budget'

SacBee: Capitol Alert ^ | 2/13/9 | Shane Goldmacher

[SmithL]

Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, has joined a growing list of Republicans to denounce the tentative budget deal reached by legislative leaders and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

What makes Dutton's decision significant is that, as vice-chairman of the budget committee, he has been widely viewed as a potential support of the compromise.

"I, in good conscience, can not look in the mirror and raise the taxes on the average family of four by more than $1,000, as the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has estimated. I can't ask that family to go 10 weeks without groceries," Dutton wrote in an op-ed his office is circulating. "At the end of the day I have to look in the mirror and feel good about what I see. I will be voting no on this budget."

...

Senator Dutton Voting No

As California suffers through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s, I think often of that dedicated employee who just found out he or she has just lost their job and is going home to tell their family.

I can't get the image out of my head of that person walking in the front door and deciding exactly how to break the news to their spouse and kids -- how to tell them that the life they enjoy is about to radically change.

The change they are about to experience isn't because of what's taking place with the economy, but rather what measures the state took to balance its budget after years of mismanagement.

That's the image I will carry when I go to the floor of the Senate to cast my vote against a budget that will raise taxes on California residents by a stunning $14.5 billion.

[Mariner]

Similar to Porkulus, the CA Senate needs 2 or 3 GOP votes to pass this disaster.