Posted on 06/10/2006 8:42:36 PM PDT by FairOpinion
Members of the Democratic-controlled Legislature set the stage Saturday night for the first on-time passage of California's budget in 20 years, but Republicans warned that problems with the spending plan may doom the vote.
The Legislature's powerful budget conference committee voted 4-2, along party lines, to close out discussion on a compromise version of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed $131.1 billion spending plan.
The move sends to the full Assembly and Senate a budget, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, that lacks some of the core components Schwarzenegger trumpeted when releasing the plan last month.
For example, instead of spending $1 billion of a tax windfall to pay off early a bond used to balance past budgets (a feature in Schwarzenegger's budget), Democrats propose putting the money in a fund that could be used to pay other costs next year.
Democrats also rewrote the governor's proposed budget to include money to expand children's health care programs, cut some college tuition fees and give local school districts more say in how education dollars are spent.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
The Democrats also:
"The party also proposed stripping down Schwarzenegger's plan to spend $400 million preparing for a possible bird flu pandemic."
Then they blame Bush and Arnold for "not being ready" for a pandemic.
the second to last paragraph is noteworthy as well..
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Schwarzenegger's proposed budget would increase spending from the current fiscal year by $13.8 billion, or nearly 12 percent. Spending on education, the largest slice of the budget, would increase from $50 billion this year to more than $55 billion next year.
The education spending is on autopilot, as a result of Prop. 98, which Arnold's Prop. 76 at the special election was going to change, remember, the "live within our means proposition" that you voted against?
Now you are complaining and blaming Arnold for the results of YOUR vote. Look in the mirror, if you want to know whom to blame for the bloated budget.
bloating is in the eye of the beholder, FO.
(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
Having a budget passed on time, foes not reflect on Arnold, only on the Legislature.
They took out the few good things Arnold had in there, they couldn't even stand to even start paying down the debt.
That's Dems for you.
The other thread is deleted..
I love how ya disassociate the Gub from any responsibility for the spending proposed in the budget... never mind that he both proposes them and signs them.
Those darned Democrats cut out Arnie's Preschool Expansion? His buddy Reiner isn't gonna like that!
YOWZA! The kiddies just love breaking the piggie bank... and spending it.
Ya think Arnold will use his Line-Item Veto Power and restore the debt repayment?
Many in the capital had expected relatively quick work could be made of the state's perennial budget battle this year, thanks to a $7.5 billion tax windfall from stock gains, home sales, business profits and more sales tax from rising gas prices.
When the smoke and mirrors clear, California is going to be in a world of hurt.
add on the proposed bond package and think of it as taking care of all the poor Wall St. bond brokers and union members who have to make a living .. kind of an extended social welfare benefits program,, Oh did I mention its for the children too.. illegals included.
Not to mention the poor land owners of those blighted areas needing the state to pay for their 'brownfield' clean-up. I noticed that even KB HOmes (leftist Eli Broad) is giving directly to Arnie's campaign fund now.
Lots of other interesting names, too. Even Adnan Khashoggi's brother, Essam.
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