GOP pushes major cuts

Republican state senators, including Huntington Beach Sen. Tom Harman, on Wednesday proposed cutting $842 million from the state budget, after blocking the Democrats’ budget last week because they said it spends too much.

Some of the biggest cuts come from ending a welfare program that’s in violation of federal policy, slashing funding for a drug offender diversion program, and trimming public transportation funds.

The welfare cut ends funding to children of welfare recipients who lose their benefits if they don’t return to work after five years. Harman said California is one of only two states that provide such funding, and federal officials have threatened to fine California as much as $100 million a year if the law isn’t changed.

“We just have to do it or else we’re going to get fined by the feds,” Harman said. Because it has to do with children, he said, “I think that’s probably the one you’ll hear the most about…. There’s no cuts in education in this proposal, there’s no cuts in public safety, there’s no cuts in environmental programs.”

Republican lawmakers don’t typically have a lot of power in Sacramento, but they’re flexing their muscles now. Only two of the 15 GOP senators were needed to approve the $145-billion budget passed by the Assembly on Friday, but all 15 held firm and rejected it.

“The main reason goes to this issue of spending more than we take in, and the budget that’s been presented to us is $700 million out of balance,” Harman said Monday. “It’s the old mantra — we have a spending problem, not a revenue problem.”

Since the last fiscal year ended June 30, state legislative staffers haven’t gotten paid and lawmakers might not get their checks if no budget is approved by the end of July.

Some state agencies might not get their funding in August either, but Harman said, “the impact is usually very minor.”

The GOP budget proposal would eliminate the operating deficit in the 2007-08 fiscal year, but in 2008-09 legislators still will face a $4.76-million shortfall.

Harman said senators will take up the budget this morning, but it’s not clear what will happen next. If Democratic senators approve it, Republicans want it to go back to the Assembly, which is on recess until Aug. 20.

“We have to place the state on a sound financial footing and this is what’s required,” Harman said.