Fiscal crisis will hang over Brown's speech

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 1/31/11 | Marisa Lagos, Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

[SmithL]

When Gov. Jerry Brown appears before the Legislature this afternoon to give his first State of the State speech in nearly 30 years, it may be more about what the governor won't be saying than what he will.

The state's $25.4 billion budget deficit looms over every conversation in Sacramento, and the new governor is busy trying to sell his proposed solution, a mix of spending cuts and tax extensions, that has a little something for everyone to hate. So it's unlikely that Brown will be rolling out any ambitious projects or plans because there's no money.

And while those close to the governor expect him to at least touch on the need for pension reform - a rallying cry for Republicans - it's doubtful that he'll propose anything too detailed. Brown can't risk alienating the powerful public employee unions he needs to help persuade voters to extend tax increases on a June ballot, a key part of his budget proposal.

"I don't think we'll see much of anything new," said longtime political observer Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, a senior fellow at the University of Southern California. "He will probably be frank about what's happening, and there will be a big plea for the special election and voter support for his plan to extend three taxes. ... I would expect that he won't shy away from bad economic news, in order to prove what he's saying is real."

The timing of the speech is also unusual, she noted. Usually, the governor gives his State of the State before rolling out a more detailed budget plan, and uses the speech to outline broad policy goals. Brown unveiled his budget plan two weeks before the State of the State - and there were questions about whether he would even give one this year.

[Steely Tom]

I’m sure it will be a wonderful speech.

[artificial intelligence]

Brown is one of the biggest causer of the debt. Also, in his last job as AG he said he would enforce all these green jobs the government has all these laws to burden the people and business.

[JPG]

“Before I begin, I want to assure all illegals, union members, all those drawing large pensions and all entrenched bureaucrats in the state of CA that you can relax. You are safe and in the clear as long as I am your Governor.” - Jerry Brown

[skeeter]

He will probably be frank about what's happening

So He'll talk about how services to illegal aliens and fat pension plans for public employees are among the major causes the state is about to go bust?

[4Liberty]

Rest assured, Brown is

[skeeter]

that photo sequence is more representative of public employees unions.

Let go of those copious retirement packages, gang, or else.