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Dramatic Moment in California State Budget Impasse: Perata Tells Republican Senators to Write Budget Democrats Can Support, Saying "We Have No Freaking Idea Where You Want to Go"

By Frank D. Russo

Frustrated by hours, weeks, and days of recalcitrance from Republican Senators none of whom would vote for a budget bill (supported by all Democrats in the legislature and even nine Republican Assemblymakers), Don Perata, the President pro Tem of the Senate told Republican Senators to come up with their own proposal. Governor Schwarzenegger's supportive statement about the budget bill as written was to no avail. The Senate will meet back in session on Wednesday to see what has been achieved in the meanwhile.

Even if the Senators are able to somehow get a bill that can get the 27 votes, the Assembly has recessed and is scattered about the globe according to information from the Assembly Speaker's office. So, even with optimism, we are some time from a budget being adopted.

Shortly before 10 a.m. this morning, the roll was called for votes on the California state budget in the Senate and there were no new votes for the any of these measures. They failed and are eligible for a vote in the future as "reconsideration" was granted.

Senate Republican Abel Maldanado, long suspected as a potential Republican vote for the budget, abstained on all of these and remains the sole Republican Senator to have not voted against the budget. An affirmative vote on the budget as passed by the Assembly is needed from two Republican Senators for it to have the two-thirds majority required under the California Constitution.

Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero, who presided over the call of the role, announced "Senator Perata, the desk is clear." Here is what was said in the few minutes the Senate remained in session today"

Senator Perata:

"We're going to adjourn--or recess--in a few moments, but before we do, I want to say that we have now, as a Democratic caucus, realized that we have done not only all we can do but we understand now that the Republican caucus would like a zero deficit in this current year.

So what we are going to allow you to do is--give you some time to come up with a budget that you figure--believe--suits your needs, gets you to a zero deficit--one that you can put up your entire caucus, and then one that twelve Democrats would go up--so just the same way we do in converse. We've been waiting for two of you. Now we'll wait for 15 of you and 12 of us.

And I think it's only fair that you have a little time to get rowing on this, so we'll come back in session on Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock and you can give us a progress report. But we can no longer do anything with what you're asking us to do--and it just occurred to me that the best way to do that is give you an opportunity be in charge, which is what you are asking to be--and see what you come up with. Who knows, maybe we can find a meeting of the minds.

But we cannot any longer say "What do you want?" and then it's unclear. The best way to make it clear is would be for you to do it. So that is the order and we will be in recess--Oh, I'm sorry--Dick?

Senator Dick Ackerman [Republican minority leader]:

Mr. President and members, I think its good that we are going to continue the budget debate. I think we have made progress and I think it's something that both sides have to work together on. We would love to put out a budget if we had our way and we were in the majority, we would put out a budget that we would think would be responsible and that we'd ask a certain number of your members to respond.

However, we're not. So we're dealing with your budget which we will continue to do. We'll continue to work in good faith. We still want to get that deficit down. We want to have a responsible budget for the state of California. We have some issues regarding the bond implementation and a number of other issues which we're going continue to work on, and we'll be there working with you.

Perata:

Well, let me be clear. We are not working with you. We are giving you the responsibility to give us a budget and trailer bills. You think you got--you know where you want to go? We have no freaking idea where you want to go. So you show us where you want to go. You tell us when you're ready. And then we'll sit down and talk. Just the way--normal.

We've done all we can do. This is a budget that we've said we could like with. It's one that we don't like, necessarily, but we believe it's responsible. We have the reserve. We've done everything. We've gone far to the fiscal side--the other fiscal side to what the Governor presented.

So you obviously know something we don't know. I'm glad to find out about that. But I no longer want this to be a Senate problem because it's not a Senate problem. This is a problem between parties. You have an idea between parties. You have an idea of what you want. I want to see it. And if you can do it, fine. If you can't come and talk to us we'll see where we go from there.

But we have gotten nowhere in what we've done. So, I wish you well. Mr. Runner?

George Runner [Republican Senator]:

Thank you Mr. President. I guess I just want to point out that I'm not sure why this should be a big surprise as to where we find ourselves. I think you can go back. You can look at the votes that happened as we were dealing with conference--budget subcommittees--you can see plenty of places where we cast our votes, where we were concerned months ago. You merely need to go back to the conference committee. So, to act like this is a surprise somehow that we find ourselves in this disagreement is just preposterous. We have been communicating. The fact is that this is the only time that we're able to be listened to. So, we appreciate the opportunity and we will certainly take it up.

Perata:

Thank you very much. We will reconvene on Wednesday morning, 9 a.m."

Posted on July 21, 2007

Comments

Just wait until the Republicans get a redistricting commission--Democrats will be caving every time. Goodbye to senior, blind, disabled COLA's and all that other stuff. As Dan Walters points out today, Nunez "caved" because he doesn't want anything to upset term limits. Fortunately, Perata doesn't seem to be enamored of his position and is willing to push back.

Posted by: publius at July 21, 2007 11:32 AM

I agree with some of publius above. Speaker Nunez agenda is to stay around via term limits modification over doing his job TODAY in a fashion that even his own party would appreciate. Perata's behaviour is shameless: As the republicans points above bring out, there were all those comittee meetings and hearings all year, the calendar had all those dates on it including when the budget was due. Yet here it is the 13th hour and Perata is "giving up" his leadership position because he couldn't do it on a schedule the majority party is responsible for. Great leadership example there.

Posted by: Words are words... at July 21, 2007 12:30 PM

One person can veto what two want--the only thing we do that on in the United States Constitution is fundamental liberties (it has crept into the Senate as 60 votes but that is nowhere in the Constitution). Perata has pointed this
fundamental asymmetry out--the word "majority" means majority, not "super-majority." Perata is not the "super-majority" party leader, he is the "majority" party leader. Perata is calling the Republicans bluff--they think he will roll over because he wants extra time as President Pro Tem, but he's at a different stage in his life than Nunez and he won't roll. More power to him.

Posted by: publius at July 21, 2007 09:20 PM

Honorable Senators and Assemblymen/women

Please exercise due diligence in reaching an agreement on the budget as soon as possible. Many people, including the disabled, are waiting for benefits they need to get on with their lives, and which cannot be released until the budget is signed by the Governor.

Thank your kind efforts on our behalf.

James Graham, Democrat, Orange County

Posted by: James Graham at July 21, 2007 11:46 PM

Honorable Senators and Assemblymen/women

Thank your kind efforts on our behalf.

James Graham, Democrat, Orange County

Posted by: James Graham at July 21, 2007 11:50 PM

Senator Runner

Have you told everyone how many extra millions your ridiculous and unconstitutional Prop 83 is going to cost everyone this year and next?

Do you think anyone is going to think you are a complete hypocrite when they find out what you've done? Stolen millions of education and human services money for a ridiculous witch hunt law that doesn't protect even one child?

The Republicans are the primary ones driving the prison industry, increasing the bureaucracy by billions, destroying all kinds of families in the process and arguing over nickels and dimes?

Such lunacy, where are the voters?

Posted by: Stephanie Gooding at July 23, 2007 08:59 AM

I echo the sentiments of James Graham as Medi-cal providers will be between a rock and a hard place after August 2nd. Having a reserve is no longer enough to sustain small businesses that provide medical state services to the disabled population.

Posted by: Medi-Cal Provider at July 25, 2007 10:23 PM

PLEASE PASS THE BUDGET SO THAT THE DISABLED PEOPLE CAN GET THEIR RENT REBATE, WITHOUT WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE 1ST. OF SEPTEMBER.I ALSO TRIED TO FILL A PRESCRIPTION YESTERDAY AND MEDICAL WOULD NOT COVER AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY 14.99 AND I DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY. IT WOULD HELP IF YOU COULD PLEASE PASS THE BUDGET.

Posted by: Lisa Soto at August 13, 2007 02:26 PM

Medically fragile children and elderly who reside in Nursing Facilities are in jepardy because the California budget has not passed! This IS not a political issue! It is a HUMANITARIAN issue! I am speaking of human lives. You as our leaders are to support the PEOPLE not just your political issues!

Posted by: Rose Silver at August 14, 2007 02:49 PM

How am I able to apply for the rental assistance? Could you please e-mail me info

Posted by: joannelares@earthlink.net at October 1, 2007 11:05 AM

My suggestion to all of you is to either balance the budget, NOW, or be willing to except the consequences at your next elections. Part of the problem with having an inflated budget, is all the raises that you have given to yourselves. You all should be the ones to be receiving federal minimum wage instead of the hard working general public that YOU depend on for your elected position. Neither side will be happy with what the other proposes. Better than receiving minimum wages, you should all, including the governor, resign you positions, just from shear embarassment. This isn't the first time that you have screwed up over the same issue. In the private sector, you all would have been fired for misapporpriation of funds.

Posted by: Camille Huntley at August 4, 2008 03:09 PM

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