Should he? Would he? Could he?
UPDATED:
The Times got hold of a draft order (pdf) from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger cutting the pay of state workers until the budget dispute is resolved (so did the Sacramento Bee).
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) responded twice:
6:18 p.m. --
I don't think the Governor should put public servants in the crossfire of this budget battle. But his action speaks to the need for all us -- including the Governor -- to negotiate a balanced, responsible budget that protects our schools and the safety net before we run out of cash.
Translation: He wouldn't dare!!
6:29 p.m. --
I don't believe the Governor would put public servants in the crossfire of this budget battle. But this action would speak to the need for all us -- including the Governor -- to negotiate a balanced, responsible budget that protects our schools and the safety net before we run out of cash.
Translation: He wouldn't dare.
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The state is bankrupt yet our state legislators behave like children unable to set aside partisan differences and do what is in the state's best interest. Democrats have to agree to cuts all across the board...NO sacred cows. For fiscal sanity the Republicans have to agree to tax and or fee increases in every service and product in California.
California needs a 21st century budget not bankrupt leadership from the house and governor.
Posted by: Felipe | July 23, 2008 at 08:37 PM
Forty five years of a Liberal State Legislature procuring endless social programs, needless projects and pork barrel spending, pay raises, etc., and now the people are supposed to pay more in taxes to compensate the State deficit because of reckless incompetent politicians!
Just wait until San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom becomes Governor, you haven't seen anything yet!
Posted by: Ron Battaglia | July 24, 2008 at 12:02 AM
Look, California is now a third world refugee state.
Adhering to a state constitution that was created BY white people FOR white people many, many years ago is just stupid.
Further, paying American wage scales for what is essentially a Third World country with a Third World economy is equally stupid and unsustainable.
Cut wages and government benefits to the wages and government benefits available in the countries the New Californians come from.
What do they pay municipal workers in Calcutta, Bombay, and Mexico City?
California,now has a Third World population running a Third World economy. Paying Third World wages and providing Third World benefits is really the only way to go. You just don't have enough white Christian Americans left in California to work like Protestants, pay taxes and support you.
The only thing I fear about the coming Californian collapse is the outmigration of the Third Worlders of California to the predominately white cities and states as they look for the few remaining pockets of white Christian folks left in America to take care of them. We are already seeing some California refugee Mexicans showing up on our doorsteps for free medical care, free education and free housing here in the Midwest.
Anyway, stop worrying! Embrace your Third World-hood! Sure, wages will have to drop much lower and there will be more crime and violence just like back in your homeland, but wages will still be higher in California and rrime loweer in California than it was back home! There will still be an American gravy train you can ride, it just won't be as easy as it was before you overwhelmed California by your sheer numbers.
Posted by: Big bill | July 24, 2008 at 05:27 AM
this man was a great actor,thats it,he needs to fired he promised a lot of things,but didnt come true,when he became in office i knew california was doomed........
Posted by: alejandro monarrez | July 24, 2008 at 07:07 PM
People are struggling to make ends meet with the rising cost of products and gas and the governor wants to cut their wages...OUTRAGEOUS!!! I'll bet he is doing fine with his finances...
STOP paying all these social services to the illegals, the welfare, the free health care etc... and they would have the money to balance their budget. WAY TOO much money going out to take care of people who are illegally in this country. They are driving our country into the ground. The United States will become a third world country if something isn't done to stop the insanity!
Posted by: Mamacat | July 31, 2008 at 12:28 PM
People need to stop placing all the blame on the Governer, he's signing the order because he's literally running out of options if those legislators don't get their act together, the boat's sinking right now and he's trying to keep it from completely going under.
You think it's bad now, poor 200,000 people, wait until the entire state goes under because they've run out of money no public services for months.
Schwarzenegger isn't the problem, it's those damn lawmakers who won't get their damn job done.
Posted by: Josh | July 31, 2008 at 05:49 PM