On Thursday,I wondered what John Chiang’s response to the Governor would be. Would he stand up to him like he did last year? Or comply with the minimum wage order. The answer? A strong no:
In a strongly worded rebuke, state Controller John Chiang said Thursday that he would defy Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s order to slash the pay of state workers until “the courts hand down a final resolution.”
Chiang, a Democrat, said the pay cuts will “do nothing to solve the budget deficit” because state employees are entitled to their back pay once a budget is in place. “In the absence of the leadership needed to bring the Legislature to an agreement on his budget, the governor again resorts to political tricks,” Chiang said in a statement. …
“Again, absent a final court ruling, I will continue to protect the state’s finances and pay full wages earned by state employees,” Chiang declared. (LA Times)
Good for Chiang. This is a political stunt by the governor, and isn’t necessary for purposes of the state budget. Honestly, there have been few batter allies for state workers than John Chiang. While maintaining a steady hand at the fiscal controls, he has managed to be a counterbalance to the Governor’s brinskmanship.
Arnold got the Appellate Court to rule in his favor. Chiang has to hope he has better luck with the Supreme Court. Is that likely do you think?
the better his shot at future statewide office. good move, for all the right reasons. hope he wins.
the Governor has shown himself to be a cruel petulant child. Someone to be pitied. I doubt the MSM will pick up on this so it can be brought back up when he runs for senator.
Marie
he and his buddys have tasted power I woun’t expect him to retire from politics and just go back to his non movie career. He has cultivated the mime that he is a green governor and a moderate though closer inspection shows non of that to be true. Just like Difi pretends to be a democrat.
Marie
I always like to think about John Chiang and Debra Bowen.
by reassessing commercial property from 1978 to 2010 levels as John Chiang has suggested. Go back to split rolls. It is easy to avoid reassessment when making a transfer of commercial property. Howard Jarvis knew this was to his benefit as he owned lots of commercial property. It is one of the greatest boondoggles of all time?