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Brown's Countdown, Day 67: Legislators cut $7.4 billion, stall on redevelopment funds
Sacramento Bee ^ | 3/17/11 | Kevin Yamamura and Jim Sanders

Posted on 03/17/2011 8:35:08 AM PDT by SmithL

Lawmakers took their first bite out of Gov. Jerry Brown's budget Wednesday, cutting about $7.4 billion across state government and clearing a significant share of the $26.6 billion deficit.

But Democratic leaders, and Brown in particular, spent much of the day behind closed doors in an unsuccessful effort to persuade reticent legislators to eliminate roughly 400 agencies that fund redevelopment projects and save the state another $1.7 billion.

Cities have mounted a fierce campaign to block the proposal, fearful of losing control over billions of dollars that would flow to schools, counties and public safety instead of civic projects.

Democrats had geared up for a partisan fight and framed Wednesday's first floor votes as a test to see whether Republicans would agree to cuts in the governor's budget. But Republicans left little room for suspense; most GOP members signed on to cuts in the Senate, while a requisite handful did in the Assembly.

All told, lawmakers approved about $7.4 billion in cuts to state and local programs. They include reductions to welfare-to-work grants, co-pay requirements for Medi-Cal patients and services for the developmentally disabled. Lawmakers also approved fund shifts that will result in less money for childhood development, mental health and local transit.

"Democrats and Republicans must come together to approve these bills and show our commitment to finally attain a solution that will balance our budget and put our fiscal house in order," said Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, D-Los Angeles. "We're facing challenges unseen since the Great Depression."

(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: budget; goldenstate; redevelopment; yourtaxdollarsatwork
"Democrats and Republicans must come together to approve these bills and show our commitment to finally attain a solution that will balance our budget and put our fiscal house in order," said Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, D-Los Angeles.
That's not how he was talking when campaigning for Prop 25, to allow a simple majority to pass a budget. So now he has his simple majority, and he should pass a budget.
1 posted on 03/17/2011 8:35:14 AM PDT by SmithL
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To: SmithL

Ya know I was thinking the same thing, They don’t need a 2/3 majority to pass a budget, just to RAISE TAXES. Why don’t the Republicans just go on Vacation to Illinois??


2 posted on 03/17/2011 8:43:57 AM PDT by eyeamok
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To: eyeamok

I didn’t read the article so I don’t know if this also included tax increases, but a $7.4 billion cut is a fairly significant part of a $26 billion deficit. It’s a good start and a heck of a lot more significant than what the democrats in Congress are talking about. They squeal about a $6 billion cut when they have a $1.6 TRILLION deficit.


3 posted on 03/17/2011 8:48:15 AM PDT by henkster (Every member of Congress must put the fate of the nation over their next re-election campaign)
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To: SmithL

Lets shut the government down and start over.

1. No tax dollars for private anything. No subsidies, no transfer payments, no funding NGO’s or anything.

2. No transferring funds from one government to another.

3. Cities, counties, states and the federal government raise and spend their own money on government activities, period.

This would be a small step in the right direction.


4 posted on 03/17/2011 8:48:26 AM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Happiness)
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To: SmithL

“In the early going, it seemed that Assembly Republicans were poised to reject spending cuts. Some even railed against slashing funding for the poor and disabled, using talking points normally reserved for Democrats.”

“I wonder at what point we are going to take (this) seriously and stop focusing our cuts on the most disadvantaged in California,” said Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, R-Santa Clarita, in opposition to $600 million in developmentally disabled cuts.”

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!

Republicans talking like Democrats...shoving it back in their FACES. OUTSTANDING!!!


5 posted on 03/17/2011 8:52:46 AM PDT by BobL (PLEASE READ: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2657811/posts)
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To: GeronL

What are you, some kind of radical?


6 posted on 03/17/2011 8:52:48 AM PDT by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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To: Lurker

apparently


7 posted on 03/17/2011 9:07:30 AM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Happiness)
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To: SmithL

The drug dealers in California won’t be able to keep up with all the demand that will come from this.


8 posted on 03/17/2011 9:50:16 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: SmithL
Jerry giving the prison guards' union a fat contract killed any chance he had of getting enough Republicans to get his tax increase on the ballot.

There will never be enough tax money for the public employee unions.

9 posted on 03/17/2011 10:14:45 AM PDT by Thud
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