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Here's what East Bay legislators said in interviews this week:

-- Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee: "The depth of this crisis is so much bigger than it has been in the past. All the one-time tricks and shell games have been used. There are only tough decisions left."
Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord: "Sometimes, things have to get really bad so that electeds and their constituencies are willing to step back and look at the whole picture. Right now, we have a Winchester House budget: We keep adding to the building but none of the rooms are connected."
Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, D- Berkeley: "(The ability of Republicans to block spending) represents a tyranny of the minority. We need to make budget decisions in California the same way they do it in nearly every other state and in Congress."
Assemblyman Guy Houston, R-San Ramon: "The public doesn't trust us. We have to get off this debate about the two-thirds and learn to live within our means."

Why don’t they just issue some checks, to all Californians, like $1,300, that seemed to work for the Bush Congress. Money is what they need, just pass it out, folks in San Francisco would be first, Pelosi would probably push it. Free Money for all, would give the State Budget a BOOST. Or at least that is what the FEDS have been feeding taxpayers.

Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, D- Berkeley: "(The ability of Republicans to block spending) represents a tyranny of the minority. We need to make budget decisions in California the same way they do it in nearly every other state and in Congress."

No you need to do it the way the people want it, not how you want it. Cut spending you Berkeleyite

The politicians rule like ignorant 13 year old children.

They get a temporary windfall of money in property taxes and then go and budget like it could never end.

When the expected RE bubble burst, all of California is expected to chip in and give up more of their own private funds to pay for the extra spending they threw into the budget.

As it is they are getting anyone who is wealthy or making big bucks either leaving or making plans to leave the state.

California politicians keep this up and we can change our name to Detroit by next year.

I agree with the Democrats. At this time, California can't afford to subsidize the 2% VLF.

Then again, California could simply stop imposing property taxes on new motor vehicles. Lawns in ghettos would soon swell with new Honda Civics and the Austrian could rescue the budget from the boost in gas tax revenue.

Let see. That's about 75¢ a gallon that each homie would be placing in the Transportation Reserve Fund. The Austrain could borrow from the TRF at just 10% interest instead of 50% over 15 years from his New York donors. God bless drive-bys.