Advertise Here

Deliver your message to thousands of readers every day.

Our readers are influential opinion makers - politicians, journalists and activists.

Learn more about ads.

Our latest headlines

Want more? Dive into the archives.

About Us

David Greenwald, Editor. (Contact David.)
CFC Education Foundation, Publisher. (Contact us.)

Got a news tip? Want to write a guest column?
Contact David here.

About California Progress Report.

Founded by Frank D. Russo (Publisher and Editor, 2006-08).

Books

Perata’s Candid Comments on the California Budget

By Frank D. Russo

Yesterday evening, during one of the many recesses on the Senate Floor, Democratic Senator and President pro Tem Don Perata spoke to a group of reporters and answered questions. Here is a bit of what he had to say:

Q. Who are the winners?

A. The Republicans are winners. They have a nice set of bills that they were able to get by holding us over a barrel. And I think the winners, if there are any—we haven’t cut education, we didn’t cut higher education, and we restored most of the really draconian cuts to health and human services. But there is nothing I am proud of and I think the state has moved one step closer to fiscal disaster. They stock market dropped 500 points and if people can’t figure out what’s going on, it’s too damn bad.

But this is the best we could do. At 77 days out, I’ve had it. The people that I came up here to represent are being held hostage. That’s got to stop.

It basically is not more money. It’s just one time money. So all this money won’t be available next year to do this very same thing. Ironically, without a tax next year, they’re going to have to borrow still more and more money to sustain California government.

Q. Will we be worse off next year?

A. Oh yeah. You can bet your life, yes. One of the things in this budget requires us to have voter approval of a so-called securitization of the lottery. There’s not five human beings who know what that means.

Basically, its borrowing against the lottery. And we have to borrow $5 billion for next year’s budget or we’re $5 billion in the hole starting out. So, we don’t even know when it’s going to go on the ballot. If it goes on the ballot in the special election, I’m doubtful that there’s going to be a lot of people that will support it. And if education doesn’t support it, it won’t pass at all. So thisis really a high risk budget.

The governor, if he could, would have done it differently. I’m sure he would have. But he had as little success with the people in his party—and I’m not in his party.

Q. Are we gambling with the taxpayers?

A. I don’t know if we’re gambling with the taxpayers. We have an atrocious system here in California. And we’re simply taking advantage of some of the loopholes in the atrociousness. It is an awful way to conduct state business and there’s absolutely no will to reform the budget. None. The Governor’s got a little bit going for him with his, but—true reform had nothing to do with this budget this year. I just think they’re people here who want to bring it down—that’s their dedicated mission.

Q. Bring what down?

A. The government . They want to grind it to a halt.

Q. Who?

A. Republicans. I’m not saying all. But there are some who just feel that way about government. They have a legitimate point of view and in California, the minority has a very big say at times like this. They’re not doing anything that they’re not allowed to do. They have just figured out that there is a time to take advantage of that. They drove a very hard bargain. Most of us thought that the Republicans would support a Republican governor, and they didn’t.

Q. Could you have gotten this earlier?

A. No. No. I’d still be hanging out if there weren’t people in my district that are destitute.I’d have the stomach for being here a lot longer , but as I’ve said, I’ve heard too many people—when I go back to Oakland, I want to wear a bag over my head so people don’t know I’m in town. Because they want to know, why aren’t you up there working. Real people are getting hurt, really, really badly. So now at least their checks will be written and the programs people depend upon. You know, we weren’t hurting real high income people who are driving Lexus’, but we were sure kicking the hell out of people in my district.

Posted on September 16, 2008

Comments

That is right, we the republican won. So listen up "Democrats", we will be demanding even more next year and guess what, we will get it or we will wait till we get it. If that means we will have to wait again till September to pass the budget or even latter that is what we will do.
-Proud registered republican

Posted by: republican at September 16, 2008 07:19 AM

What you got Mr. Republican is a recipe for disaster. When will the people of California as a whole be the main focus?? It will do for now, only because it has to. Several of the states assistance programs need revision. One being the welfare and medi-cal system. Make the critera one must speak english and be a citizen and it would free up billions. Think about it.

Posted by: James at September 16, 2008 07:55 AM

Since when did being a 'Proud Registered Republican' mean allowing the state to go without a budget for over 70 days? Are you proud that working people are starving while bureaucrats contemplate coorporation loopholes? The only thing that will solve the problem is to STOP SPENDING when we are over extended!! I was personally effected by the budget impasse. I'm disabled (paraplegic) and going to school to become (above all things) a TAXPAYER and the programs that are supposed to assist me are being given to Garcia and Gomez, who continue to produce illigetimate children who will receive the states' care. What has California come to? It should be a beacon to hard working Americans. Instead it's a beacon to immigrants who need a 'safe haven' to commit crimes and reproduce more individuals to drain the system. Thanks alot. It would be fantastic if one needed to speak English to recieve benefits. I don't think I'd be getting any care in Mexico. Period. When will we concern ourselves with our actual citizens? They require and deserve our attention more than people who broke the law to get here.

ps. I'm not a 'Democrat' either.. so why am I being punished?

Posted by: natkat at September 16, 2008 09:45 AM

Well, now thats all over with. Its just up to the Govenor to sign the budget and go from there. I think it is time for us to stop being against each other and realize they did the best they can do and now wait and see if the Gov. will sign this so that way California can be restored on its funds. WE know that Govenor is a snake and as a Democrat he is a piss aunt and I do not trust him whatsoever on whatever he does but lets just hope the buget gets signed and everything can be back to normal.

Posted by: Erik Leon at September 16, 2008 10:07 AM

Erik Leon, no budget will not be signed as we republicans didn't get everything that we should have gotten this year. We gave Democrats a gift and they still crying about it. As such, the Governor needs to veto the budget and the process should start from scratch until we "republicans" get what we should have gotten in the first place.
-Proud registered republican.

Posted by: Republican at September 16, 2008 11:05 AM

I do not think for one minute it is a good idea to veto for anything. We are 78-going on 500 days late getting this processed and signed. As a "DEMOCRAT" and proud of IT for that matter as you would put it its time for a budget to get signed and over with that way we do not have to cry about it. If the budget does get signed then I can say "IN your FACE republicans and that way the crying and bickering can end. If the budget does not get signed then we will have to wait all the way to till about Thanksgiving or Christmas and in the mean time things are going to get worser than they already are. I DO hope that the Gov. signs it.

-Proud registered democrat-

I feel like a little girl fighting for something that I want and if it this budget gets signed then US democrats win!

Posted by: Erik Leon at September 16, 2008 11:41 AM

Republican--or Dmitir as you used to call yourself: Please keep me off of your gift list.

You apparently have no idea how difficult it was to secure the Democratic votes needed to pass this budget and linked bills. Overplay your hand and you will end up with--we will all end up with--holding sand.

No one got all they felt they "deserved" in this deal. That includes the majority Democrats and the majority of voters including decline to state voters as shown by recent and older polls on the budget and what they--the voters--want.

Posted by: Frank D. Russo at September 16, 2008 12:05 PM

Erik Leon as i told you, budget will get vetoed and it did. Democrats & Republicans needs to understand that he is the king and he is said no to budget that means no. I am 100% sure,that budget veto will not be overwritten.

Posted by: Republican at September 16, 2008 07:07 PM

Sorry, comments are temporarily disabled. We're doing a bit of server maintenance on the commenting area. We'll be back up and running shortly. Thank you for your patience.

Get Email Updates

Want the California Progress Report by email? Once a week, we'll send you the latest and greatest headlines.

Stat tracker