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Perata Unchained on the California Budget

By Frank D. Russo

Senate President pro Tem Don Perata held a news conference after the Senate completed its proceedings yesterday and passed the California state budget and related bills. He had some pretty strong things to say about Senate Republicans, those who suffered needlessly over the impasse over the budget, and the institution of the State Senate, as we head down the last four weeks of this year's session. Here is what he had to say before answering reporters' questions.

Perata in His Own Words

"I'll just say the obvious--that's what I'm really good at--Thank God this is over with.

I am still perplexed why it took so long. It occurs to me and I would be remiss if I didn't say that last evening when I heard what was going on over across the street where a lot of the Senate Republicans were yucking it up that they had blocked, still again, the budget deal, that it underscores the damage that happens to this institution when people do not comport themselves in a manner consistent with the traditions of this Senate.

This place has always been characterized by the ability to rise above politics--not partisanship necessarily, but politics--to put the institution ahead of everything else. But when people take glee and delight in failing to allow the job of this Senate to be done, to take glee and delight over people who are suffering because the state had not passed the budget that is very troubling. And I think it is not troubling just today; it is going to be a harbinger for the future if some very strong positions are not taken and people decide that we are going to do our business in the common good, in the interests of the common good, and not in the interests of some narrow ideologies.

The question has been asked: What happened today that couldn't have happened before? I do not have an answer to that. Many of the issues that had been sticking points, candidly, were never brought up until late in the game. Dick Ackerman is the duly anointed leader, selected by his caucus. I didn't select him, they did. And then it became sort of, everybody in the caucus got to get a can of spray paint and put graffiti on the wall. I've never seen that happen before where you have sort of a rolling set of negotiations and different people had different and different people had different ideas at different times.

In the final analysis, we were 51 or 52 days late. One Republican went up--that was the leader. Others didn't. A couple of them voted for different trailer bills which may or may not have any consequence in any event. But it's very interesting that everybody that held out and who didn't vote for the budget still received the benefits. Their constituents received the benefits of that budget. They don't have to endure the pain, but they all get the benefits.

And there is something just fundamentally wrong with that approach to governance. At least Senator McClintock clearly articulates a known vision for the 18th Century when he gets up and talks. But it's a little less clear what other people want--what they would be satisfied with.

So, we're going to have to decide among ourselves--the four leaders and the Governor-- what damage has been caused by this inordinate delay and what we're going to do about it as it affects the rest of the year and coming into the following year.

We do know this, that next year promises to be less hopeful, financially, than this year. Simply because of what's going on with the national economy and we're going to have to make some decisions about that.

Finally, the best thing that happened today, other than that innocent people who were hurt no longer will be getting hurt--and I'm mindful of a program last night on the news channel that will remain nameless because I couldn't remember--but there was a story done on the developmentally disabled--a home, I believe here in Sacramento within the vicinity. And there were discussions about not being able to feed the clients next week because there were no longer loans available for the owner of the facility to access. And very few people know those kind of things. I commend the media for bringing them out.

But somebody said, "Well, what difference does it make? Only 18% of the public even knows what you do." That's all the more reason to do what we're supposed to do--because they don't know. That is precisely the reason.

So, we had a long holdout and we're now finished with it, and I don't think the institution is any better for it. This did not strengthen the institution and it certainly wasn't a moment of distinction for any of us. And I don't think it's just Republicans, we all get tainted by that."

Photo of Republican Senators laughing it up Monday night when budget deal fell aparet, courtesy of Calitics.

Posted on August 22, 2007

Comments

Here is the message to the Democrats, next year Republicans will hold for even longer period then they did this year. They will demand more and while they are waiting for Democrats to give in they will be in restaurant across the street enjoying them self. We the Republicans can care less about the poor.

(this reply is my own and my own alone, i am not associated with any policial body, group etc.)

Posted by: Dmitriy at August 22, 2007 10:47 AM

Dimitry: "Let them eat cake." I think you are associated with the French monarchy a few centuries ago.

Posted by: Frank D. Russo at August 22, 2007 11:02 AM

Reform of the 2/3rds vote is obviously the problem here. I would suggest a 2/3rds vote required on July 1, then a 60% vote on July 15, a 55% vote on July 31, and then a simple majority by August 15th. This still retains the 2/3rds vote for an ontime budget (and the opprobrium if it is missed) and gives the minority more power but stops obstructionism and the "laughing Republicans" (they remind me of the Ceasars laughing at those being slaughtered in the Colussem).

Posted by: publius at August 22, 2007 11:44 AM

Did you every notice that you never see Dimitriy and Russo in the same place and at the same time, just like Superman?

But they are so close together when they do show up & depart. Humm...I wonder if Russo is Dr. Jekel and Dimitriy is his Mr. Hyde...or vice-versa, and not Superman?

To point, it's good to see the Patriot Act in action by democratic sympathizers who snap pictures from behind bushes at those they want to suppress violating their privacy, albeit at a restaurant.

I've never seen democrats at the "Chops" watering hole across from the Capitol either...yeah right...and if they were there they would never be "laughing it up" now would they.

No they would be photographed by the media, democrat men and women legislators alike, literally on the Capitol steps smoking cigars and drinking wine like the budget hassle 3-4 years ago had them doing. At least the republican legislators want to contribute to the local economy and not smoke & drink on public/taxpayer property...

Posted by: Equal Time! at August 22, 2007 12:30 PM

Equal time: I can assure you that I have no connection with Dmitriy. I suppose I can track him down by his IP address.

Same thing goes for you. I just tried emailing you and it bounced back.

Talk about calling the kettle black! You--or someone using your IP address has posted comments under dozens of names. Come out into the sunshine, use your real name and address, and you'll have more credibility.

Same thing goes for Dimitri.

Posted by: Frank D. Russo at August 22, 2007 12:44 PM

Frank

No fair tracking people down by IP address--unlike the Majority Report,
here we can make a comment that our
bosses may not want expressed. Journalists are supposed to keep sources confidential and the same should go for postings.

Public Servent

Posted by: A Friend at August 22, 2007 01:13 PM

Why are so many afraid of having an opinion. I think that our elected officials should absolutely be required to bring a budget in on time. If not, they lose 50% of their pay. A little incentive to work on it a little sooner. Private sector companies would never tolerate this.

I am just a regular citizen taxpayer. I happen to be Republican, however they are becoming less and less representative of my values. We have always been self-employed, have employees and all that goes with it. There is waste throughout the State government that needs to be cleaned up. Things are going to get tighter in the next 2 years. That waste of taxpayer funds needs to be addressed by both parties.

Our welfare is a mess, our immigration is a mess. Money is flowing out of the general fund by the millions because of just these two things. There must be a limit to welfare and immigration has got to be solved.

We may not need the Republican vote next year. I have a feeling they will lose more seats.

Posted by: Morris1 at August 22, 2007 02:22 PM

Morris1 you say you are Republican yet your last line says "we may not need the Republican vote next year." Which is it are a Republican or part of the "We" Democrats.

What the left doesn't get is real Republicans revile government, thus shutting it down and not passing a bloated budget is a good thing. In fact I'm kind of pissed at Dick Ackerman for ending this thing. Feel free to roll into those Republican Senate Districts and say your Senator wouldn't pass a big budget so you should be mad. Most of them will respond, "good, how about a tax cut!"

Posted by: Sean at August 22, 2007 03:01 PM

I find it interesting that budget was passed yesterday midday, and it haven't been signed yet. Is their even a day schedule for the budget to be signed?

Posted by: Dmitriy at August 22, 2007 09:19 PM

...and we are just laughing it up across the Colorado River here. It got over 110 degrees in Phoenix today, yet nobody fell in the streets because of the mean Republicans enacting their budget here. Save all of your comments until next year when the budget in your state washes up like a dead whale on the beach.

Happy in the Valley of the Sun

Posted by: Ditat Deus at August 22, 2007 09:34 PM

Sean, that is the problem with being a partisan hack, you assume everybody else is as well. When Morris said 'We' it was not We the Democrats but We the People.

You also apparently don't know what a Republican is. What you described is more like a Libertarian.. or Anarchists.

Posted by: Joe at August 23, 2007 10:21 AM

DMITRIY,
YOU are a JERK !!! GET A LIFE and A HEART !!!

Posted by: debra at August 26, 2007 07:45 AM

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