Schwarzenegger to Legislature: You're grounded
No state budget? Then no national political conventions for you, the Governator told state lawmakers today. Evan Halper passes along the news:
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's comments came after a meeting with legislative leaders in his office that seemed to do little to move stalled budget talks forward.
"I told the legislative leaders that it is extremely important not to leave until we have a budget done," Schwarzenegger said. "We are two months past the constitutional deadline... and I think it is inexcusable not to have a budget yet."
The governor said he would not support a plan being pushed by Republicans in private talks that would replace proposed increases in taxes with borrowing from local government and transportation projects to close the state's $15.2-billion shortfall.
"We are still paying off debt that occurred from the 2003 [budget] disaster we had," the governor said. "The Republicans want to go out and borrow ... more money before we have paid off our debt. So I think that is not a good idea. The key thing here is to stay focused and come up with a compromise.
"I don’t want them to leave until the job is done. Anyone who says they do not want to compromise, I do not think they are doing a service to the state of California and the people of California."
Maybe Schwarzenegger should borrow a page from Karen Bass' playbook and boot everyone out of the Capitol until a budget is passed.
--Veronique de Turenne
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