Well, the legislators sort of assumed that the budget that they passed last week would be sufficient to keep their paychecks coming under Prop 25. It is something of an interesting legal question as to whether the passed budget has to be “balanced”, but that’s the way Controller John Chiang is reading it. So, unless a legislator wants to challenge him (good optics there), that’s how it is going to be. And, today, Chiang said that the majority vote budget from last week was not balanced to satisfy Prop 25:
In doing so, the Democratic controller is exercising unprecedented authority Tuesday, establishing a new role for his office under Propositions 25 and 58 to determine whether a legislative budget is “balanced.”
“My office’s careful review of the recently-passed budget found components that were miscalculated, miscounted or unfinished,” Chiang said in a statement. “The numbers simply did not add up, and the Legislature will forfeit their pay until a balanced budget is sent to the Governor.”
****** ***** *****
“The Controller is, in effect, allowing Legislative Republicans to control the budget process and I believe that’s a very unfortunate outcome that is inconsistent with the intent of Proposition 25,” said Speaker Pérez, D-Los Angeles. “In the coming days, we will be taking additional budget action informed by the Controller’s analysis, and consistent with the values of the budget we passed last week.” (SacBee)
Two things are clear, this “balanced” requirement gives the Controller a hefty new power, and it also restores some of the power that Prop 25 took from the Minority. While the daily well-being of the legislators isn’t likely to be on the line anytime soon, this move does give the Republicans a small bit of additional leverage over the process.
It’s a gimmick, but perhaps a gimmick that changes the playing field just enough to actually make a difference.
UPDATE: Sen Steinberg was no fan of the decision as well, saying “he Controller’s decision today sets a dangerous precedent. The impact on legislative members is real, but it pales in comparison to the impact on school children, the elderly, and the men and women who protect our safety. This decision will not change our commitment and obligation to stand for the people we represent.”
What if some future peevish governor decides to delay approving a budget or vetoes it just to punish the legislature? I think this sets a really bad precedent.
Typical of the problems resulting from ballot-box lawmaking.
I didn’t read carefully and see now that it’s an issue of whether the controller thinks the budget is balanced. Still a problem, though, with the possibility of a peevish future controller.
And as a fiscal conservative, I’m no fan of Senator Steinberg…
Didn’t Controller Chiang determine that Steinberg’s alleged “balanced budget” failed to comply with Prop 98’s minimum funding of K-14 education…? And didn’t the alleged “balanced budget” delay payment of a couple of $billion owed to the schools until after July 1, 2012? And aren’t welfare/safety net payments automatically made in the absence of a budget… kinda like last year’s October, 2011 budget? So with the exception of a possible/plausible adverse impact on “the men and women who protect our safety”, is not the Democrat leader of the California State Senate full of crap?
Prop 25 gave incredible power to the majority, lest we forget Prop 26 which prevented that power from fully going to the majority. I take issue with the assertion that Chiang’s approach changes the dynamic and gives power to the Republicans. The Dems in the legislature are giving the Republicans all the leverage. I think the Republicans have better understood the dynamics of this budget fight from the beginning.
The Democratic majority is playing their cards all wrong in this fight. The Dems should be presenting a balanced budget with a simple majority that does not include any 2/3rds-required revenue increases, legally questionable maneuvers, or accounting gimmicks. In this budget, Dems should be attacking the appropriation of any Republican pet project. The Dems, including the Governor, should then use this budget to organize the public and apply pressure to Republicans to cave to a tax bridge claiming that the majority’s hands are tied without revenues. National Republicans are abandoning the Norquiest pledge daily, so why not start applying the pressure locally?
Dems crying poor (however accurate for many of our middle class legislators) by not getting a paycheck sounds tone deaf to the public and ignores the extremely popular (and populist) portion of Prop 25. Their continued anti-Chiang media party will only play into Republican hands and provide the leverage Brian mentions.
If there is anyone in Sacramento who can be trusted, both for brains and for adherence to the important Democratic values, including both honesty and care for his fellow human beings, it is John Chiang.
I think we are still “in business” in California, despite the absolute stupidity of the electorate in terms of the way they vote on initiatives and refusal to understand the basic facts of financing what they want in terms of education, infrastructure, etc, because of John Chiang. We have been able to get money to keep on functioning at some level because the money grantors have respected and trusted him. At the same time, he has never wavered in his dedication to the needs and rights of the everyday working class citizen. Even back in his early days on the Board of Equalization, he sponsored many workshops to help people fill out their tax forms. He gives workshops for non-profits. He speaks to small groups of people who just want to understand how government works. He has gone toe to toe for years with TurboTax so that poor people could fill out their tax returns without paying.
I know that people were asking him earlier if he would run for governor, but he said that his best role was in the Controller’s office. He’ll be termed out next time around, and frankly, if he has the ambition to do it, I don’t think we could ask for a better governor than him. He really isn’t much of a grandstander, but I think he has the guts required — and he certainly has both the brains and the heart.
Sharon Toji