(As part of our policy of “Right of Response,” we offer this opinion from Jay Hansen, Legislative Director, State Building & Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO. – promoted by Calitics Editorial Board)
There has been discussion on these pages recently in relation to Props 1A-1E, calling on Legislators to come up with an alternative “May 20 strategy”. However, such calls are both politically unrealistic and fail to acknowledge the significant gains our Democratic legislators accomplished in this past year’s budget and in putting Props 1A-1E on the ballot.
True, there is something for everyone to dislike about this budget. Healing a $40+ billion deficit while dealing with the tyranny of a 2/3 budget requirement inherently means that any budget will have to be about compromises. Until our flawed system is changed, these are the rules we must operate under.
But the fact is that this budget deal – and Props 1A-1E by extension – represent a compromise that upholds essential Democratic values and programs while putting in place a budget system that will stabilize spending over the long term to ensure we have savings to stave off the deepest of cuts during future recessions. In short, it could have been a lot worse and if these measures don’t pass, rest assured it will be.
We cannot ignore that, for the first time in a long time, this budget brings in more than $30 billion in new revenues to our state to fund vital services and protect against even more draconian cuts. And let’s be clear: there are no more tax increases where these came from – there will only be budget cuts regardless of the severity.
So instead of lamenting about some ill-defined “new solution” that’s both politically and practically infeasible, members of the Democratic Party need to rally behind our leadership and support Props 1A-1E. Passing Props 1A-1E is our May 20 strategy. It’s as simple as that.
The reality is that without these reforms the state is right back to where it was with a monumental deficit that threatened people’s quality of life. In fact, given the change of Senate Republican leadership, without Props 1A-1E, next years’ budget will be monumentally worse and crippling to the programs and services Democrats care most about.
If these initiatives do not pass, the Republican minority, already entrenched in their beliefs against taxes at all costs, will be empowered by the belief that these measures failed on the premise that Californians do not want more taxes. The minority party will rally behind their calls for further, crippling cuts with no revenues and the state government will be in another stalemate without an end in sight. Additionally, the spending cap proposals will become more and more onerous and in all likelihood an outside third party will run a ballot initiative on their own capitalizing on the anger of everyday Californians.
We just need to look back four months to remember what a prolonged budget standoff cost our state and its hard-working families. Tens of thousands of our members in the construction trades saw their jobs on the line as construction projects were near shut-down due to the state’s financial dysfunction. Tens of thousands of public employees were being furloughed. Seniors, kids and lower income were at risk of losing services. Small businesses that provide services and goods to the state were being shunned. Taxpayers nearly had refund checks delayed.
So instead of more revenue being pumped into our state as well as a comprehensive budget system to protect from significant deficits in the future, without Props 1A-1E California will be left with a gaping hole in the budget and an empowered minority party. This is not fear-mongering, but an honest assessment of the current situation.
The simple fact is that this budget was difficult. This budget was not pretty. But under very difficult circumstances our Democratic leaders negotiated what is the best political deal they could. And Props 1A-1E need to be ratified to protect us against something far worse.
You wrote:
OC Progressive:
Hopefully the CDP won’t be fool enough to endorse shit.
The claim:
If these initiatives do not pass, the Republican minority, already entrenched in their beliefs against taxes at all costs, will be empowered by the belief that these measures failed on the premise that Californians do not want more taxes.
The obvious answer is that if these initiatives pass,
the Republicans will say it is because of the spending
cap, which ensures that California stays at the bottom
of states in education, for example. The Republicans
will claim night is day, war is peace, freedom is slavery.
Why are we buying into this narrative?
As posted before, the following is very relevant:
It should be clear to every sentient person that the Republican party is collapsing, particularly in California. Yet we are asked to vote for initiatives in May that continue Republican policies (48th in the nation in education, viscious cuts to the elderly and infirm, etc).
California Backwards (oops, forward) is planning a constitutional convention where 2/3rds votes on taxes would be forever enshrined in the California constitution.
So where is our Obama? Someone who sees that the old
rules (since 1978) don’t apply, and the public is eager for an updated Fair Deal. What does this mean in practice?
Come out against the May 19th initiatives
Qualify a majority rule initiative for September.
Push through a majority-rule fee increase.
Have Schwartz call a special election for September/October.
If he won’t call, start a recall, which forces a special.
Above all else, attack! Forget this defensive stuff. 20% of the state is unemployed (if you use real figures) and 60% of the remainder are worried. This is the time
to implement Democratic principles–the Republicans are
in disarray.
How about we just say no, and force our legislators to actually work together for a change?
Enough broken politics in California. We have a legislature for a reason, and they need to do their job, not keep having more special elections with these insane propositions. If they can’t do the job they were elected to do, they ought to resign. Starting with every Republican idiot who thinks yachts are more important than the people he represents.
You write:
The current spending cap proposal is already onerous. Even if all the measures pass, we’d still be facing billions in minority-mandated cuts. On top of that, whatever deal we wind up with after the next round of cuts are done, we’d be stuck with forever. Even if we were able to control spending in prisons and healthcare so they didn’t grow beyond population growth and inflation, we would still be stuck at the bottom of the nation in per-pupil spending.
You continue:
I admit that, if if 1C, 1D and 1E fail, that more state workers will probably be laid off. However, if 1A passes, the ones who have lost their jobs will never get their jobs back. Proposition 1A takes our current rate of spending, depressed because of the worst recession in 80 years, and locks it into the state constitution. With or without the 2/3 rule, we’d never be able to restore the deep budget cuts we saw this year.
You continue again:
The tax increases in 1A would only last for two years they are already expected to bring in less than promised.
Proposition 1A will do nothing to prevent future significant deficits. Once the economy recovers, and we get a massive surplus that we can’t do anything with because of the spending cap, the equally-empowered minority will force a massive tax cut-it’s the one thing they’re good at. Then, the next time we’re in a recession, we’ll wind up with even greater deficits, spending would be cut and the spending cap would be lowered and the cycle would start all over again. It would lock us into a never-ending vicious cycle of spending cuts.
I recommend that the readers examine the Sec of State’s website to read an impartial analysis by the state’s Legislative Analyst.
http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.g…
As far as doom and gloom, the comments posted so far are a bit vitriolic and short on facts. Prop 1A requires a look back at the last TEN years, not last year. This provides a smoothing effect to the budget and removes the boom and bust nature that whipsaws all affected, cities, counties, the poor, the education community, etc. Allowing increases for population and inflation growth is reasonable not some crazy idea.
Likewise, the rainy day fund can be used for a variety of worthy purposes like paying down debt, and most importantly, paying the state’s healthcare obligation. Guess how much that is ! Many TENS of BILLIONS of dollars. There is no shortage of worthy places to spend the rainy day fund.
Please don’t be afraid to see for yourself what is in Prop 1A and the rest of the initiatives, you might find the Legislature did a good job afterall.