Out Come the Gimmicks

With the Republicans continuing their obstinacy, Democrats in the Legislature are looking for some way, any way, to make sure they don’t lose their pay after tomorrow’s Constitutional deadline.

The alternative plan would keep paychecks coming even though talks between Gov. Jerry Brown and Republicans have snagged on the issue of taxes.

“We will have a budget,” said Nathan Barankin, a spokesman for Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento).

Barankin and others close to the process declined to provide details. But a fallback blueprint would almost certainly rely on accounting moves and other measures that would merely paper over the state’s remaining $10-billion shortfall: Democrats, who have sharply cut back many programs already, have little appetite for further reductions.

Barankin acknowledged that any plan written without a renewal of some tax increases or more drastic cuts would not fully restore the state’s financial health.

“There’s no way to solve our long-term fiscal problems without taxes],” Barankin said, and “Republicans are simply unwilling or incapable of supporting a budget that includes [more] revenue.” ([LA Times)

The Governor has already walked back from his hard-line “No Gimmicks” stance from the election.  Certainly that would appear to be what he wants, but he is trying to make some accommodation to get something, anything passed.  Most likely, some of that will be borrowing and a bunch of accounting tricks.

They have about 36 hours to pass something, who knows what we’ll get.