No love for $131-billion budget

State legislators passed a $131-billion budget Tuesday, without the benefit of Newport-Mesa legislators’ votes.

Assemblymen Chuck DeVore and Van Tran ? who represent Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, respectively ? and Newport-Mesa state Sen. Tom Harman all voted against the budget bill, which they said spent too much.

DeVore said he was pleased that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger scratched out $23 million that would have covered health insurance for illegal immigrants, but he still couldn’t stomach the budget’s 12.6% increase over last year’s spending.

“If you look at history it probably means that the real increase will be closer to 14 or 15% when you put in all the cost overruns,” DeVore said.

There was a budget surplus this year, but next year’s budget assumes that will continue and spends it, despite a looming deficit, DeVore said.

Harman and Tran agreed.

“I think it’s improper to increase the spending when the state is in debt and when we have a structural deficit,” Harman said.

But unless Republicans somehow gain a majority November, local legislators expect to continue fighting a losing battle against spending. DeVore and Tran even predicted the need for tax increases ? not that they would support those.

As members of the minority party, “We don’t have that much say or control,” Harman said.

Curry takes eminent step forward

After getting Newport Beach City Council members to agree in May to restrict eminent domain to public projects, Councilman Keith Curry wants to get the new rule in the city charter.

A 2005 U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowed “public use” ? the previous standard for eminent domain ? to include private development that would economically benefit an area. In the name of private property rights, elected officials have struck back, proposing laws to limit eminent domain to distinctly public projects such as highways or other public facilities.

Newport’s council put such limits on the books, but Curry said Tuesday he wants to offer voters an amendment to the city charter, which would be harder to change than a council rule. A similar statewide ballot initiative is in the works, but other provisions in it may complicate the issue, Curry said.

The City Council has until Aug. 11 to vote to place issues on the November ballot, which also will likely include parts of the city’s general plan update and the so-called Greenlight II initiative that puts some development plans to a public vote.

Chance to learn about voting

The Orange County Registrar of Voters, along with officials in Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley, will host a July 19 meeting to explain the voting process to citizens.

At the meeting, voters can learn about getting voting materials in four languages other than English, how to use the county’s voting system with the new “paper trail” verification, and the basic voting process.

The meeting is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. July 19 in the Huntington Beach City Council chambers, 2000 Main St. For information call (714)567-7600 or go to www.ocvote.com.dpt.29-politlandscape-CPhotoInfoQU1SEHSB20060629j07bt4nc KENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)Assemblyman Chuck Devore, second from right, this week spoke out against the state budget that passed Tuesday in the Legislature.