Posted on 03/02/2011 9:46:01 PM PST by SmithL
Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez said today that he is not considering trying to place a multibillion-dollar tax extension on the June ballot by a simple majority vote of the Democrat-controlled Legislature, which would sidestep Republicans.
The Los Angeles Democrat downplayed a legislative counsel's opinion, sought by Senate Republican leader Bob Dutton, that said such a measure could be placed before voters by a majority vote of the Assembly and Senate, under narrow circumstances.
"No," Pérez said flatly today when asked if he is entertaining such a plan in light of Republicans' failure to support the extension, which is designed to raise $11 billion in sales, income and vehicle taxes over 18 months.
"There is not a single legal analysis that I think holds any water that says we could legitimately put this question before voters on a simple majority vote," Pérez told a lunch meeting of the Sacramento Press Club.
Pérez said voters made it clear last November, in passing Propositions 25 and 26, that they support allowing the Legislature to pass a state budget with a simple majority vote but want a two-thirds margin for hiking taxes or fees.
"I know that Senator Dutton has suggested that there's a way for us to do this as a simple majority effort. Had I proposed it, the Republicans would have been up in arms, saying that I was trying to thwart the will of the public," Pérez said.
The Assembly speaker accused Republicans of "trying to abdicate their responsibility as elected officials"
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.sacbee.com ...
Raising taxes and throwing billions more into the black hole known as Sacramento is abdicating responsibilities. No more taxes!
The Republicans should REFUSE At all costs to play with this guy!
And in Wisconsin the AWOL dems are doing the will of the people?
How does that work?
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