Posted on 06/25/2004 6:33:10 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO (AP) - Only a day after complaining budget talks were moving too slowly, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Friday that progress was being made and negotiators will work through the weekend. "I've asked the legislative leaders to stay here, I will be staying here because I demand that we get this budget done on time," Schwarzenegger told reporters. "I told them that the people have elected us to do the budget, to balance the budget and get it done on time and that's what we are going to do."
Although lawmakers and the administration have missed the state's constitutional deadline for adopting a budget - June 15 - both sides say they do not want to begin the fiscal year again without an agreed spending plan. California has begun the year on July 1 without a budget eight times in the last 10 years - delays that have helped drag down the state's credit rating to the lowest in the nation.
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, has said there are only a handful of issues remaining: more money for state universities, a wage guarantee for home health care workers, a cost of living increase for welfare recipients, pension reforms and plans to restructure local government finances.
Schwarzenegger contends that pension reform and the local government issue are the biggest hurdles and once they come to agreement on those issues two the rest will follow.
The governor wants to cut retirement benefits for new workers to save money. Democrats say they can find other ways to reduce the costs without reducing benefits.
The local government issue revolves around concerns Democrats have that cities and counties rely too much on sales tax revenue, which leads to poor land use planning. Negotiators are looking for better ways to fund local services.
Schwarzenegger has an agreement with local officials to support a constitutional guarantee for future funding of city and county services in exchange for cuts this year and next of $2.6 billion. Democrats support the cuts but want to change the funding source.
The governor said Friday that he will hold a meeting Saturday afternoon with party leaders from both houses but said he did not expect to have an agreement by then.
"Each time you have a Big Five meeting you get a little closer," he said. "Things are moving forward, we don't want to lose the momentum."
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On the Net:
http://www.governor.ca.gov/state/govsite/gov-homepage.jsp
Gov.'s Home Page
http://www.sen.ca.gov/
California Senate
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/defaulttext.asp
California Assembly
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Gee, finishing the job for which they're getting paid. Whadda' concept.
Eleminate this free ride, and we won't need to cut any services for those who pay for the services.
All right, Arnold! Get those people working!
Arnold: "I told them that the people have elected us to do the budget, to balance the budget and get it done on time and that's what we are going to do."
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Arnold in Terminator mode! Exactly what's needed.
Hey.....Arnie...a HIRING FREEZE will save even more money.
OK Fine!, How about next year, if the economic conditions don't get appreciably better in Caleeforneeya,, Shall we borrow another 15 billion next year if things don't pick up ..
The size of the budget increased over last year and the year before.. It's over 103 Billion.
At least we haven't formally had new taxes, just "fees" at the local and state level, enacted unless you're a parent of a kid going to college in california.
Terminator mode.. ooooo... The Purist Trembleth ;-)
Have a good weekend!
Don't Spend it here all weekend! Go play golf with Parsky or Duf. ;-)
Arnold is way ahead of you.
Schwarzenegger takes aim at red tape
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1160738/posts
"Plans already drafted, including disbanding some 200 state boards and commissions and sacking 1,500 political appointees, are likely to rouse strong opposition in Democrat ranks. "
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