CA: Assembly speaker prepares for worst - Wesson

Sac Bee ^ | 2/20/03 | Margaret Talev

[NormsRevenge]

Herb Wesson says he's still angry about Steve Peace's "crack cocaine" remark.

Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson said Wednesday he is doubtful that Republicans will ever come to the table to negotiate a budget deal this year.

Given that possibility, the Democratic leader from Culver City said he has instructed staff to research just how a long-term standoff could affect California's ability to provide services on a range of government programs.

[NormsRevenge]

A state with No budget? Ouch!!!

"crack cocaine" BWAHAHAHAAAAA!!!! (That may explain a lot about demRats and their spending binge the last 4 years. ;-)

[NormsRevenge]

Ping

[Grampa Dave]

Hey, Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson, spending our taxes is a crack cocaine addiction of you and every rat in Sacramento and in every rat controlled city/county.

I hope that all of you and your tax spending addicts aka voters go into drastic withdrawal this year.

[NormsRevenge]

Here's some excerpts from interview.

	Herb Wesson says he's still angry about Steve Peace's "crack cocaine" remark.

Excerpts from The Bee's interview with Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson

Published 2:15 a.m. PST Thursday, February 20, 2003

The Bee's Capitol Bureau met Wednesday with Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson in Sacramento to discuss the state budget. Following are excerpts from that interview.

Related story: Assembly speaker prepares for worst

On Republicans and the state budget:

Wesson: "I'm a little saddened and angered, I guess, at the same time by the Republican leadership suggesting that this is some kind of a political war. Whenever there's a war there are casualties, and in this case I can tell you who the casualties are going to be: They'll be seniors, school kids, firefighters, police. This problem is too big for us to not be serious about it. Campaigns are like battle ground but you govern by finding common ground. No matter how hard I try I just have not been fortunate enough to help the Republicans understand their ... obligation to do a job. ... A plan is a political liability but you have to do your job. My name is all over the (vehicle license fee) ... but it was a stand, a plan. If we can't get away from this warfare thing then I don't know if we'll ever have a budget. Ever."

On Gov. Gray Davis and the vehicle license fee:

Wesson: "I'll admit the governor and I had a difference of opinion. ... But we are working together now to make sure all of us understand how this trigger thing works and I anticipate that the (vehicle license fee), that trigger will be pulled. ... We've got the governor's lawyers, the controller's lawyers, our lawyers really going through this to see ... who would then have the authority to pull the trigger. Give me the trigger, I'll pull it right now."

On state finance director Steve Peace's suggestion that vehicle license fee revenues are the "crack cocaine" of local governments:

Wesson: "I'm offended by that statement. It was stupid. ... And I do believe that sometimes people say things that they don't think have racial overtones but that do have racial overtones. I take that personally and he's been apologizing to me for about three weeks. ... (It evokes an image of an) inner city black guy pushing this and it's crack cocaine. He could have said something else. You don't want to joke about drugs, things that actually kill people."

On Peace's opposition to raising vehicle license fees:

Wesson: "He won't have a choice. If they discover that this thing can be done administratively, somehow or another he's going to be in the loop..."

On term limits:

Wesson: "They're a huge problem. Term limits the way they currently are configured don't work well. I would love to see some change occur. I think it would benefit California without a doubt. ... We've got 32 new members and here they walk into a $26- or a $34-billion [shortfall]. For me, I'm a totally different speaker today than last year. I am more experienced. I am more confident. Just that year makes a big difference."

On imposing Internet sales taxes:

Wesson: "It's only fair. I think it's time. ... I just don't know how practical that is. I mean, do I think it makes sense? Yes, I think it makes sense. Do I think we can get there with our colleagues from the other side of the aisle? I don't think so."

On lawmakers' own spending:

Wesson: "We've already reduced our budget by ... about $4.2 million. We're going to reduce the mail budget and a variety of other things. ... Now if everybody here had a new Volkswagen or a new Taurus, they would still get a $400 allowance. And that's been in place long before I was elected. You could have a jet. If you have a jet you just pay whatever extra that is on top of that and it comes out of your personal money. It's easy for an individual, let's say Aunt Mae or Uncle Bubba, (to) think we just waste everything and we don't work. People since the beginning of time have felt that way about public servants. I live this life, so I'm proud of what I do and I know how hard I work and I don't waste a lot. ... We could spend so much time on those hot-button issues that people would say "Oh my God!" and that really takes us away from doing the real things, like the real cuts and the real restructuring and the real increases in taxes. ... There are things of greater importance that we need to focus on."

On whether leaders ever reach a budget agreement this year:

Wesson: "I would think the Wall Street people are going to weigh in at one time or another and that might create some movement. ... I think if Californians coupled with the bankers put some pressure on the Republicans, we might wind up with some kind of an arrangement. If that does not occur, we have a group of individuals working on what happens if we just fall off the cliff here. What does it mean if we don't have a budget? How do we exist? ... How do you operate? How do you keep services going? As long as the Republicans view this as some kind of political game, until they change their mindset it could go indefinitely."

[BibChr]

Wesson, eh? Hm. Sounds oily.

Dan

[CdMGuy]

Just another CA sleeze bag politician who hasn't met a tax he doesn't like and can't ever seem to spend enough of our money. Your basic A-hole at work.

[BibChr]

Yeah, and as I was saying to Eric Hogue on the radio this morning, when was it that they stormed the capital and took over at gunpoint? Oh wait, that's right, they didn't. So how did they gain such power?

THE STUPIDEST VOTERS IN THE WORLD, that's how.

Or their equal. Look at it: Clinton in '92, Clinton in '96, Gore in '00; Feinstein, Boxer, Boxer...I could go on and on. Stupid, STUPID voters are just getting what THEY asked for.

I'm a lifelong Californian, but my state embarrasses me, and I wish I could move.

Dan

[NormsRevenge]

I've been in California for 30 years and it has been a sad thing to watch as so many turned their backs on their own state and didn;t vote. They didn't want to bother, or didn't want to get involved, or they didn't know or understand the issues.DUhhh!!!!

They have let the wolf guard the flock and this is what we get. It is disgusting. Apathy reigns.

[hoosierskypilot]

I've only lived here (CA) for about 5 years, and here's what I've noticed: Californians are so incredibly selfish, self-centered and self-absorbed (present company excluded, of course), that they will not be bothered to vote.

They are positively the rudest people I've ever seen (again, present company excluded, of course). Except maybe, Moscow, Russia. Those people will just flat out shoot you. But, then again, so will Californians.

[BibChr]

Ignorance? Apathy?

Don't know. Don't care.

Just joking. But really, it still amounts to STUPIDITY, whether too stupid to vote, or voting stupidly.

Dan

[Weimdog]

The Democrats believe that no budget is better than 9 1/2% cut in spending.

Friggin' idiots!

[Amerigomag]

Who is worse?

Democrats who absolutely refuse to lower spending to match revenues ..or

Republicans who now propose barrowing money to "balance" the budget.

Is this state screwed or what?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the post!

calgov2002:

calgov2002: for old calgov2002 articles. 

calgov2002: for new calgov2002 articles. 

Other Bump Lists at: Free Republic Bump List Register

[Pagey]

"I'm a lifelong Californian, but my state embarrasses me..."

Same here, many people just don't give a damn to vote in Calif. elections.With more than 36 million people here the microscopic voter turnout is downright embarrassing. Not that every illegal (from a multitude of countries mind you) would be able to read the ballot anyway, if they cared enough get to the ballot box. Everyone I know votes,even the Socialist losers that I employ.(They're fine workers, it's their thinking that is jaded.)This article makes it sound like we're a State run by Republicans! Let me be clear:California has an entire Gov't that is controlled by DumbocRATS; it is THEIR intentional overspending from last year, by 4 Billion Dollars,(among a list of other improprieties)that has created the problems that we face now!

[Gophack]

Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson said Wednesday he is doubtful that Republicans will ever come to the table to negotiate a budget deal this year.

What he REALLY means is he doesn't think Republicans will cave like they did in the past. The Republicans are ALWAYS willing to discuss the budget, but the Democrats don't want to hear OUR ideas, they dismiss them out of hand and say, "Republicans don't want to talk".

[Gophack]

I'm a life-long, 5th generation Californian and I love California. The weather, the jobs, the activities, the beauty ... California IS still a great place to live and work, for the most part. It's easier to get a job, etc., etc.

HOWEVER, the government is atrocious. The liberals have got to go. The fact is, in 1994 California had a REPUBLICAN majority in the state assembly, and lost it two years later. Californians are not as liberal as everyone thinks -- it's just that the liberals are REALLY liberal, and the conservatives have lately been just staying home, frustrated by two-timing Republicans who say one thing and do another.

We can win the state back, but it'll take a lot of effort and determination and desire. Do we have it? I don't know. I'd love to move to Idaho or Colorado ... and we looked into it ... but reality is, we can't make as much money there, and jobs are harder to come by.

Just my opinion.

[BibChr]

Golly, those are just the places we (I) have talked about, particularly Idaho.

But like I said, these nutcases didn't take over at gunpoint. They were elected, in some cases overwhelmingly. And yes, Simon ran a terribly lame campaign, and yes the election had been his to lose, and yes he managed to do it anyway -- but I still voted for him, and he was still a better choice than Davis! But no, not this stupid state; they'd rather keep that idiot then reach out for something better.

And don't even get me started on Boxer.

Dan

[fieldmarshaldj]

"The fact is, in 1994 California had a REPUBLICAN majority in the state assembly, and lost it two years later."

Some clarification here. They ELECTED a GOP majority in 1994, but thanks to 'Rat King Willie Brown and his monkeying around with 2 skittish RINOs, he held the assembly via those puppets for the 'Rats until he became San Francisco Mayor in January 1996. The GOP didn't finally install their legitimate Speaker until that time, and by then, the damage was done, and they only had the majority for about 10 or 11 months. The GOP never had a chance to demonstrate that it could lead in a legislative capacity.

[John Jorsett]

An African American whose Los Angeles-area district includes pockets of urban blight, Wesson explained: "An inner-city black guy pushing this, and it's 'crack cocaine.' "

So what Herb is saying here is that referring to crack cocaine is offensive because everybody knows that black people are the ones most closely associated with it. And WHO is the racist?

[NormsRevenge]

Thank you for noting that.