Tag Archives: budget cap

When David Meets Goliath, Goliath usually wins. But David Keeps Fighting.

I’m quite proud to be working for the No on Prop 1A campaign. More details about that here.

I’m still sitting in the Resolutions Committee meeting. I’ve been here for almost five hours, but most of the drama was compressed into the first hour or so. Dave described the situation of the hearings on the resolution committee for the props, and all that sounds about right.

I’m used to being outgunned, but there was a deafening silence after I spoke against Prop 1A. Nobody else on the resolutions committee spoke out against the proposition. I, alone, was running the opposition against what will be the most profound change to our budgeting system since the notorious Proposition 13 in 1978. It was a heady responsibility to be the lone voice against a sitting Assembly member that I normally agree with, Kevin De Leon. Along with California Faculty Association Presiden Lillian Taiz, I was challenging the Leader of the State Senate, Darrell Steinberg.

And thus I became David to a Goliath I never expected to challenge. I have such enormous respect for Sen. Steinberg, and nearly always agree with his politics. But, Proposition 1A is simply wrong for the state of California.  The extra $16 Billion in revenues in the out years is simply not worth the additional dysfunction that the spending cap will impart on the state.

But this David lives to fight another day, as the endorsement must proceed through the floor session on Sunday. I know that the grassroots of the state party will have something else to say about the matter. And together, a lot of Davids can be a pretty formidable challenge for ol’ Mr. Goliath.