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There is ONE reason Arnold HAS to have a special election, and he HAS to get his spending reform package passed. It buries a bunch of new debt to pay back all the promised education and transportation funds that he has raided, and will continue to raid for another year. This measure includes paying those back over a 15 year period, instead of over the next several years as required by current law. They add up to about $10 Billion. If he doesn't pass it, he will have to face tax increases or finally cut the budget. It's the new credit card he is applying for (since he promised to cut up all the others).

Legislative Analysts Office

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Proposal

This measure:

Eliminates the operation of Test 3 and maintenance factors.

Provides that future overappropriations may be counted as one-time funding, which would not raise the base upon which future Proposition 98 calculations are made.

Requires the payment of settle-up obligations for years prior to 2004-05 to be paid within 15 years.

Converts the 2005-06 outstanding maintenance factor to a one-time obligation that is required to be paid within 15 years.

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Proposal
This measure prohibits the suspension of Proposition 42 transfers after 2006-07. The total amount of transfers that were suspended through June 30, 2007 would be paid within 15 years, at an annual rate of no less than one-fifteenth of the cumulative amount owed. The measure also permits the Legislature to authorize the issuance of bonds by the state or local agencies that are secured by the payments of suspended Proposition 42 transfers.

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Prop 98 has no business of having its base raised just because a year has unexpected tax receipts. This is one of the battles now and why the education establishment screams he owns them three additional billion over the two billion increase he proposed in his budget.

You might hate this debut shuffling too but if it gives CA the room necessary to grow its way free and clear of the giant sink whole caused by Davis and the union-bought cleptocrats in the Legislature then I have no qualms with it. Would you rather he raise taxes and continue on the path of doom? Do you realize just HOW MUCH of the budget is mandated by automated increases? The governor's tried other things such as cutting waste and doing an audit but there are systemic problems suffocating the state long term.

So lemme get this straight.... California has had statewide elections in 2002 (midterm), 2003 (recall), 2004 (presidential), 2005 (arnold's budget), 2006 (midterm), and probably 2007 (redistricting proposal for 2008?)

With all the "special elections" you guys can just abolish regular elections and still have voters show up at at the polls every two years. Geesh.