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REMEMBERING LIFE AND WORK
OF JOAN LEE
BREAKING NEWS - BUDGET CRISIS DAY 74
* POSSIBLE BUDGET DEAL IN STATE SENATE
* VOTE ON BUDGET COULD HAPPEN NEXT WEEK
Senate Democrats Working With Republicans Toward Budget
Agreement Though No Final Deal Yet - No tax Increases or Borrowing or
Spending Cap Will Be In Plan
SACRAMENTO (CDCAN) - With the California budget crisis
continuing into its 74th day without a State budget, a possible
budget deal is coming together in the State Senate, with Senate
Democratic and Republican leaders agreeing on the broad outlines that
could mean a budget agreement and a vote on a revised budget
plan next week, possibly as early as Tuesday (September 16th). No
details are available and nothing is final - and the situation is
fluid and could change. However the movement toward a deal iin
the State Senate appears to be real.
Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (Democrat - Oakland) initiated the
discussions with Senate Republican Leader Dave Cogdill (Republican -
Fresno). Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (Democrat - Los Angeles)
was informed of the Senate budget plan, with the four leaders -
Perata, Cogdill, Bass and Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines
scheduled to meet on Sunday to look at the details of the Senate
plan, as hammered out by Senate staff.
No Details on Budget Agreement Yet
There is no detailed plan available yet, though Senate Democratic and
Republican leaders have agreed to the following:
* Taxes - no income tax increases as proposed previously by Assembly
and Senate Democrats, and no sales tax increases, proposed by the
Governor.
* Borrowing - no borrowing from funds, as proposed earlier by Senate
Republicans
* New Revenues - the revised Senate budget plan is likely to rely on
several one time measures, requiring a simple majority vote, to raise
revenues, that could include higher tax amnesty, accelerated (earlier)
withholding for high income earners and other measures similar
measures to bridge the $15.2 billion gap, along with the cuts
previously approved in June by the Budget Conference Committee,
controlled by Democrats.
* Spending Cuts - In addition to the cuts previously approved by the
Budget Conference Committee, spending cuts that were in the Governor's
revised August budget compromise, as revised further by Senate
Democrats, are likely to be part of the new revised Senate budget plan
- though no details are available. The massive cuts proposed by
Senate Republicans - previously rejected by Democrats in both houses
when first proposed by the Governor in January and May, are not likely
to be part of the revised Senate budget plan.
* Spending Cap - proposed in January by the Governor, and again
this month by Senate Republicans, the revised Senate budget plan will
not have any State constitutional spending caps - something strongly
opposed by legislative Democrats.
Budget Crisis Longest In California History
The budget stand-off is the longest in California history as it
continues into its third month, with neither the Assembly or State
Senate meeting Friday, and no floor sessions scheduled for
the weekend or for Monday.
A Senate floor session on the budget scheduled for Friday (September
12th) at noon was cancelled late Thursday afternoon.
However it is possible, with the new developments toward a possible
budget deal, that the State Senate will hold a floor session on
Tuesday for a possible vote on the budget, followed by the Assembly
either the same day or the next day. A session to vote on the
budget could happen Monday - though at this point appears unlikely as
no agreement has been reached, and details have yet to be hammered out
and agreed on by staff and legislative leaders.
It is expected the staff work on hammering out details - and approval
by the four legislative leaders - will continue through the weekend,
with, as reported, a Sunday morning meeting with the four legislative
leaders - and continued work on details Monday (September 15).
Budget Actions To Date
09/09/08 - Assembly voted on the Senate Republican budget proposal,
which, as expected, failed to pass 27 to 45. No Democrats supported
the proposal.
09/08/09 - State Senate voted on the Senate Republican budget
proposal, and as expected, rejected it 13 to 21. No Senate Democrats
supported the proposal, and 2 Senate Republicans (Roy Asburn and Abel
Maldonaldo) abstained.
09/03/09 - Assembly Budget Committee holds hearing on the Senate
Republican budget proposal, with a focus on its impact on education
funding. No vote was taken, though many people provided public
comments in opposition to the proposed reductions and cuts to health
and human services, including In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)
08/29/08 - State Senate took up the Governor's budget proposal that he
released August 20th, that was significantly revised by
Senate Democrats. The Governor's proposal accepted the budget
proposal as passed by the Budget Conference Committee, controlled by
the Democrats in late June with some major changes. The
Governor's plan had additional cuts and a proposed sales tax increase
(instead of income tax increases) that would have been permanently
reduced to a level lower than what it is today after three years.
Senate Democrats revised the Governor's proposal by eliminating some
of the cuts, going for the temporary sales tax increase, but
eliminating the part of the proposal that would have permanently
reduced it lower than what it is now after 3 years. No Senate
Republicans voted for the proposal.
08/17/08 - The first time an actual budget plan was officially
voted on in either house, 48 days late into the new budget year.
The Assembly voted on the budget proposal that came out of the
Budget Conference Committee controlled by the Democrats. That
budget plan contained proposed tax increases and other new revenues.
That budget plan fell 9 votes short of passage, and as
expected, failed to pass. It received no Republican votes.
Impact of the Budget Delay On People With Disabilities, Mental
Health Needs, Seniors
The issue of the impact of the budget delay on people with
disabilities, seniors, people with mental health needs, children
and others was the subject of a special CDCAN Townhall
Telemeeting that was held Monday, September 8th, drawing over
650 people across the State. Many were deeply concerned
and worried about the continued stand-off and the potential or
actual loss of services and supports. A audio recording of
the entire townhall will be posted on the CDCAN website at
www.cdcan.us
State officials with the California Health and Human Services
Agency, including the Department of Developmental Services,
which oversees the 21 non-profit regional centers and 7 state
operated and owned health facilities, including 5 developmental
centers, have been working to monitor and work to allocate any
available funding that can be made available.
READ
LATEST MARTY OMOTO COMMENTARY "TROPIC THUNDER: WORDS IN MOVIES
MATTER, BUT WORDS AND ACTION IN SACRAMENTO MATTER TOO" -
available on the CDCAN website at www.cdcan.us
DISABILITY
RIGHTS NEWS REPORT