Skelton: Democrats abuse budget rules to help Brown’s tax campaign

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When Democrats were hammering out this year’s budget, they included a law that allows Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax measure to get top billing on the ballot, which they hope will increase its chances with voters. Because lawmakers tacked on $1,000 in spending, the law could be easily passed with the rest of the budget.

In Monday’s column, George Skelton says that was a blatant attempt to ‘rig the election ballot’ to benefit Brown.

He said it shows how Proposition 25, which eliminated the rule that a budget needed the support of two-thirds of lawmakers, can be taken advantage of when one party rules the Capitol.

‘Prop. 25 has been a good thing. We’ve had two consecutive on-time budgets,’ Skelton writes. ‘But recently Prop. 25 was shamefully abused by Democrats at the behest of Brown, who paradoxically rode to power four decades ago on a platform of political reform.’

More from George Skelton.

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