Perata to California Senate: “We’ll Be Here Til We Get a Budget … We Will Be Around to Talk About Pancakes and Sausages for Breakfast”

By Frank D. Russo

Senate Democrats put all of their 25 votes up for the budget bill passed by the State Assembly at 4 a.m. Most of the trailer bills that spell out further provisions related to the budget have also received all the Democratic votes. Since 27 votes are needed and no Republican has “yet” voted for either the budget or trailer bills, the record is being kept open and the Senate is in “lockdown,” meaning that Senators cannot leave the chamber and meeting rooms in the back.

The Senate started its day with caucuses by both parties in the morning as the start time for session was delayed repeatedly from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is now past 8 p.m. and a Republican caucus has just been announced.

Senate President pro tem Don Perata has said flat out: “I’m not reopening the budget. End of story. Period”

The one bill passed by the Assembly which is actually not part of the budget but apparently linked to it by Assembly Republicans, supposed to be a $600 million per year tax credit for Hollywood and other businesses, is dead. Perata had denounced it—but even Republicans in the Senate were wary of it because of drafting questions. Perata described it as being “written in the dark of night” and “typed by chimpanzees.”

Perata is optimistic that Governor Schwarzenegger, having this afternoon indicated his support for the budget and opposing cutting the operating deficit to zero as Republican Senators have been holding out for, has sent a signal for some of his fellow party members to vote for the bills and get out of Dodge as the Assembly has. Governor Schwarzenegger has said the following:

"The budget passed by the Assembly is a budget the people of California can be proud of. It takes the operating deficit down to $700 million - and more after I use my blue pencil authority. The legislature has done a magnificent job through these tough negotiations by getting the deficit down from the May Revision. This budget moves the reserve up to $3.4 billion and makes tremendous investments in law enforcement and education.

"Bringing the operating deficit to zero this year would mean a cut to the education budget. The question now is whether we cut education funding and I don't think that's what the people of California want. I will not cut education."

That’s where it stands right now.

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