Jerry Brown finds frustrated crowd at budget talk

Sacramento Bee ^ | 4/21/11 | David Siders

[SmithL]

SANTA CLARITA -- Gov. Jerry Brown, joined on his budget tour this afternoon for the first time by a Republican lawmaker, put the assemblyman on a stage in his hometown and flanked him with administration and public safety officials supportive of Brown's tax plan.

But the rhetoric was ratcheted down on both sides, and not even a panelist's mispronunciation of Assemblyman Cameron Smyth's name could provoke him.

"Smyth," the legislator said after he was introduced at his alma mater, pronouncing the Y like the I in "rice." "It's just my old high school, but that's cool."

The Democratic governor, who's on the road promoting his plan to extend higher taxes on income, vehicles and sales, once again enjoyed a largely friendly audience. But in the crowd of about 150 people at Hart High School, there was an undercurrent of frustration on both sides that a deal has not yet been reached.

"It's sad that we're even having this thing," Scott Wilk, a member of the College of the Canyons board of trustees, told Brown. "You guys need to be adult and go do the right thing."

Wilk accused Brown of not bending far enough to Republican demands in budget talks for pension, regulatory and other government changes.

"You have your Nixon going to China moment," he said. "Sir, I just, I hope that you seize it, and you will do the right thing and put these other reforms on the ballot with the tax extension."

[blueunicorn6]

Brown was wearing a bandage on his nose? What, did Obama turn too fast the other day?

[blueunicorn6]

Brown - “Friends, this is my little dog Sutter and he channels the wisdom of deceased Democrats to me. Come on, Sutter, let everyone know what the old Democrats think of my tax plans......Sutter! You filthy dog! Have the Republican clean that up.”